Will You Be My Fiance?
by Ammadeau
Summary: What if Soun and Gemma had never met? An alternate history of Ranma 1/2.
1. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ramna 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://Ammadeau.tripod.com/fanfiction.htm  
  
Note: This takes place a little after the Saotome home was trashed   
during the whole 'engagement ring' incident.  
  
Prologue: Idle Wishes  
  
It was the aftermath of yet another great battle in Nerima,   
and while the death count was zero as always, property damage   
along ranked into millions of yen. Virtually everyone involved   
hadn't escaped without a few bumps and bruises, but as always   
nothing life threatening. It was more or less a typical day.  
Ranma sat in his room of the Tendo house, nursing a few   
bruises himself while scowling at the door, though it was more   
directed at what lay beyond, which for him included the world in   
general at the moment. His return to the Saotome home had been   
somewhat bittersweet, leaving so many people behind. But he   
should have known better after they came and destroyed his mom's   
house. He should have enjoyed those few moments of peace and   
quiet while he could because he didn't know if they would come   
again.  
"Stupid pops," he muttered to himself, "Wish you never   
took me away from mom on that stupid training trip in the first   
place."  
Father was no more happy than son at the moment. He was   
currently sitting in the yard in panda form because his own wife   
refused to let him in the Tendo house with wet fur. Sometimes he   
even enjoyed his curse, but now...  
"I wish someone else had this panda curse."  
Nodoka stared at her husband as she helped to tidy up the   
Tendo living room, feeling more than a little guilty in having the   
Tendos support her family yet again. She had been so lonely while   
her husband and son had been away. That's was why she had clung   
to Ranko to tightly, perhaps seeing the spark of her missing son   
deep inside that female body. If only Genma had waiting a little   
longer before leaving on his training journey...  
"I wish I had a daughter."  
Kasumi noticed Mrs. Saotome's mournful expression and   
frowned. That woman had gone through so much, waiting and   
hoping, only to finally receive a husband and son who were so   
different from the ones that had left her that she hardly recognized   
them at all.  
But Kasumi knew that Nodoka wasn't the only one feeling   
down at the moment. She had seen Ranma's expression just before   
he slammed the door of his room shut. She had wanted to say   
something, but she knew it wasn't her place. She was more like a   
distant relative than a friend to him. She began to wonder if he had   
any true friends at all.  
"I wish Mrs. Saotome and her son both had someone that   
they could really talk to."  
Soun hid behind his paper and pretended not to notice the   
sudden feeling of gloom that had descended upon the household   
after the latest incident. Oh, he could blame Ranma for this like   
everyone did, but he knew the true reason for the curse that seemed   
to have been placed on his household, the demon who he dared not   
even raise his voice to lest he incur it's terrible wrath.  
"How I wish that I'd never met master Happosai."  
The demon in question was currently sitting on the roof of   
the Tendo dojo. People might have been surprised to see how sad   
and old he looked at the moment. Though he'd never admit it, he   
envied Cologne for having a great-granddaughter like Shampoo.   
He didn't mean her looks this time, but someone who had a deep   
and abiding respect for. No one respected him, no one would care   
if he died. Heck, they'd even celebrate.  
"I wish I had a great granddaughter like Shampoo."  
Inside the dojo he was currently sitting on, Akane was   
'practicing,' though she was really taking out her frustrations on   
innocent pieces of wood. It was all Ranma's fault. Why did he   
have to do stupid stuff to make me angry all of the time? She   
knew the whole problem went back to their first meeting. That had   
set entirely the wrong note for their whole relationship.  
"I really wish we could have started out as friends."  
Nabiki snapped off a few more photos to finish off the roll   
and returned to her room. She'd sell them to Kuno like she'd done   
dozens of times before. Her heart wasn't really in it anymore   
though. Nabiki thought herself a smart girl and was just a bit   
disgusted with herself to have to be so petty to earn yen. This is   
the sort of thing she should have people working for her to do.   
People who admired and respected her for what she could do,   
instead of fearing and despising like most people did.  
"I really wish I had some people who looked up to me."  
A small black piglet passed under her window, away from   
its wanted destination due to a very poor sense of direction. Inside   
the piggy exterior Ryoga was seething at Ranma's latest   
mistreatment of Akane. The pig-tailed boy was worst than an idiot   
in his opinion, he had Akane but he treated her like dirt. If Ryoga   
were her fiance, he'd never treat her like that.  
"I wish Akane was my fiance!" Ryoga tried to shout, but all   
that came out was, "Bwee!"  
Shampoo blinked at the sudden cry of a pig as she rode her   
bicycle down the street, but then shrugged her shoulders. She had   
no time to discover what it was, no time because she had to make   
deliveries for the restaurant. She was just coming back from one   
now and great-grandmother had already called about another. It   
looked like she wouldn't be able to see Ranma for the rest of the   
day at least. No chance to make up for the latest fight, and steal   
him away from that tomboy Akane.  
It seemed that even great-grandmother had given up hope   
that she would succeed. Shampoo couldn't blame her, her own   
nearly limitless supply of optimism had almost run out, and she   
was beginning to feel as it she had lost the fight before even   
beginning, all due to a mistake she had made some time ago.  
"Shampoo wish that she find out about curse before coming   
to Japan."  
"Shampoo!" Mouse cried out as soon as his purple-haired   
darling entered the restaurant, only to be backhanded hard into the   
wall. An expected, but unwelcome response. He remembered   
when they were young, long before he had even heard the terrible   
name Saotome, when Shampoo would happily play with him.   
What happened to those times? Was it really all his fault?  
"Oh, Shampoo. I just wish we could be friends again."  
Cologne ignored the commotion out in the restaurant as she   
worked in the kitchen, her mind elsewhere. Ranma had proven   
himself even better fighter than before. They boy just seemed like   
he wouldn't stop improving, and he'd yet to even reach his prime.   
She had gotten to know him quite well, knowledge that she   
regretted not having when they had first met. She had completely   
messed things up with him then, and it was clear that no matter the   
things she did for him since, Ranma would never fully trust her.  
"How I wish I could start all over with the boy."  
Not surprising, she wasn't the only person thinking of   
Ranma at the moment. A certain young okanamyaki chef thought   
about her childhood friend as she practiced her trade. Ukyo was   
Ranma's 'cute' fiancee, but that didn't seem to be enough. Akane   
was the one he was always with, the one he turned to, the one who   
came first.  
"I wish I was Ran-chan's true fiancee!" she shouted in   
frustration.  
She might have been surprised, and perhaps a little   
disgusted, to know that her thoughts were currently being echoed   
by Kodachi Kuno. The Black Rose could clearly see that she stood   
no chance for Ranma for the simple reason that unlike the others   
she had no official claim to him. So whatever Ranma may feel for   
her, he was still bound by honor and tradition. She wasn't even an   
option for him.  
"I wish my parents had arranged a marriage for me."  
Kuno ignored his sister's mutterings as he strode past, his   
mind focused on two things: Akane and the pig-tailed girl. Each   
perfect in their own way, the only two women truly deserving of   
his greatness. Clearly their affections would be his if not for the   
demon Saotome who blocked their path of happiness, do doubt for   
his own twisted lusts.  
"I wish that Ranma Saotome no longer stood in the way of   
my happiness!"  
Gos ignored the sudden shout as he passed by the Kuno   
mansion. He had given up all hope of ever winning Akane for   
himself, not even he and Kuno working together could beat   
Ranma. What chance did he have of beating the boy alone? What   
he needed was some sort of edge, but everything he had ever tried   
always failed.  
"I just wish I could use real magic for once!"  
  
On most days such idle wishes wouldn't have mattered.   
This was far from the first time that these people had wanted   
something to change in their lives, though this was perhaps the first   
time that they had all wished so at once. And on another day they   
would have most likely wished for something else, especially if   
they had known someone was listening.  
There's a certain power inherent in wishing, the desire to   
want things to change. Individually, it's not enough to lift a grain   
of sand, but it grows stronger the more it's brought together,   
especially when they are the wishes of some very strong-willed   
people.  
In this case it was enough to wake a slumbering spirit. This   
spirit was helpful in nature, but it's help was prone to cause it's   
share of mischief. It heard all of these wishes and thought for a   
time on how best to help everyone, for even being a powerful spirit   
it did have limitations. But then it saw the answer, a small change   
to an event in the past, one becoming two, that would give   
everyone what they wanted.  
As the spirit fell back asleep, the city around it began to   
change...  



	2. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ramna 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
Ranma was lying down on his bed, the world swirling   
around him. Just when had his life become so complicated? It all   
started when a friend had asked him to pretend to be her fiance so   
she didn't end up getting married to someone she had just met.   
Now because of his mom, he was now engaged to one of his best   
friends. Then he found out that his father had arranged a marriage   
for him! From there, things only got worse; more rivals, more   
fiancees, to the point that it was hard to remember who was   
engaged and/or fighting who.  
Maybe he could figure this out if he thought back to when it   
all started. Sounds like a good idea. Hmm, it all started . .   
  
Chapter 1: One Day  
  
It was the first day of school for Ranma, for the second time   
in a week. Due to some rather odd problems, he had been forced to   
transfer from his new school to Furinkan High. It wasn't his fault   
that the gym had been leveled. He still wasn't clear on what he had   
actually done to earn the wrath of the master of Demolition Martial   
Arts. Why should he have cared if one of Ranma's other fights had   
knocked down the building the man had been paid to wreck? It got   
demolished either way, didn't it?  
Ranma had a problem. Actually, he had several, but the   
main one was this: trouble always seemed to have a way of finding   
him. It was as if he were a magnet for every weird or dangerous   
thing that happened in Japan. He collected arch-rivals and bizarre   
curses the way others collected lint, and certainly not by choice.   
There wasn't a week that went by without someone showing up   
with a grudge over something he, or more often, his father had   
done. If not that, then he'd end up starting a rivalry with a   
complete stranger over some stupid thing like who got the last   
piece of bread in the cafeteria. Well, maybe not something that   
ridiculous. All of those extra fights had made him a much better   
martial artist than he would have been otherwise, but it sure didn't   
make life easy for him.  
Anyway, here he was, at the entrance to his new school,   
tugging at his new uniform's stiff collar. Pops didn't care if he   
went in his Chinese clothes, but his mother wanted him to make a   
good impression, since it was likely that if he screwed up here, he'd   
be banned from all of the other high schools in the district. Having   
already been declared a natural disaster by Japan's educational   
system, he might even be forced to study abroad. Ranma had a   
long enough walk as it was.  
He was surprised to see a crowd of boys gathered at the   
center of the school yard. Mob would have been a better term; they   
all seemed to be from various sports clubs, dressed in their   
baseball, tennis, judo, etc. uniforms and carrying the tools of their   
various trades. Was there some sort of sports rally being held that   
morning? It didn't seem likely since none of the girls were   
similarly dressed. He knew that girls could get just as into sports   
as any guy. He couldn't forget Lady Sumo or the Karate Queen no   
matter how hard he tried.  
But before he could ask what was going on, he heard a   
voice behind him scream, "I hate boys! I hate boys! I hate boys!!!"   
As he turned, a girl flew past him, her long black hair tied into a   
long pony tail that fluttered in the wind behind her. The rest of her   
was a blur as she charged straight into the mob.  
Ranma's jaw dropped. He couldn't believe what he was   
seeing. The boys were actually attacking her! No matter that she   
swung her way through their ranks like a wrecking ball as she took   
them down without getting hit herself. Ranma immediately saw   
red. Forgetting everything his mother had told him about not   
getting in trouble, he jumped right into the fray.  
Ranma was a blur of motion that the other boys had   
difficulty following, much less attacking. He seemed to   
effortlessly flow out of their way, almost like a ghost, only   
becoming solid in order to strike. It wasn't long before Ranma and   
the girl were the only ones left standing.  
She immediately turned to face him, dropping into a   
defensive stance. Ranma only looked puzzled. Since he didn't   
attack, she launched one of her own. He simply dodged out of the   
way of all of her strikes. He knew she was strong from the way she   
had handled those boys earlier, but thankfully she wasn't that fast,   
because all the could to at the moment was dodge. There was no   
way he was going to fight a girl. His mother would kill him.   
Peeping was fine, but fighting was a big no no. His mom was   
weird. Though even without his mother's opinion, he still didn't   
feel comfortable with the idea.  
He was getting a little distracted by his thoughts; that last   
punch almost hit him. *This girl is too slow,* Ranma thought,   
finding her potential more impressive than her skills.  
"Come on!" she shouted impatiently at him, "Are you   
going to fight me or not?"  
"No," Ranma replied, and kept up his dodging.  
This seemed to make the girl even angrier for some reason.   
"So I'm not good enough for you to fight, is that it?"  
The rest of the students watched the two in awe. They had   
never seen anyone who could match Akane before. The new guy   
looked to be winning, though he wasn't even fighting back. None   
of this registered with a certain kendoist, who was waiting for the   
preliminaries to be over so he could make his entrance.  
"I don't hit girls," Ranma told the girl that was attacking   
him as he dodged a kick which he would have felt for days had it   
connected. She certainly wasn't kidding around.  
Akane was getting more and more frustrated. Not only was   
this boy dodging all of her best strikes, but he seemed to not even   
take this fight seriously. She wasn't about to let herself lose and let   
some jerk think that he had the right to date her, not that she had   
any plans on paying attention to Kuno's ridiculous proclamation.  
"Why are you fighting me anyway?" Ranma asked, not   
really worried about being late for his first day of classes. He   
never really cared for school, though he did well enough to get by.   
His mom didn't think grades were that important to being manly.  
"Because you're a jerk!" Akane replied, saying the first   
thing that came to her mind, since she was concentrating mostly on   
trying to maim him.  
"What did I do?" he inquired in a tired-sounding voice.   
*Why am I cursed to offend everyone I ever meet?*  
"Why won't you fight me for real?"  
Tatewaki Kuno, rising young star of the kendo world, had   
finally had enough. For why should a nobleman such as himself be   
kept waiting, depriving his ladylove of his manly visage? If Akane   
could not defeat this peasant, perhaps it should be he who brought   
the scoundrel low? What better way to prove his superior   
prowess?  
"Halt!" he commanded, stepping out onto the school   
grounds for all to see, dressed in the traditional garb of a kendoist   
(minus the armor), bokken in the one hand, rose in the other. Kuno   
completely missed the look of disgust that crawled across Akane's   
face as she first caught sight of him.  
Ranma was actually thankful for the interruption. At least   
the girl had stopped trying to hit him. Now all he needed to know   
was why she was trying to fight him in the first place. And while   
he was at it, why all of those boys had tried to attack her.  
"So cur," Kuno addressed Ranma, holding his bokken in a   
ready position. "You seek to date the lovely Akane Tendo by   
defeating her in combat. But before that you must face me,   
Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
"Huh?" was the only reply Ranma could form before Kuno   
lunged at him.  
  
Looking out from her classroom window, Nabiki wondered   
if for once Kuno was in way over his head. Akane regularly   
pounded him and this new guy avoided all of her hits with ease.   
She decided that it was time to set up a few bets. Her eyes lingered   
over the new boy for a few more moments. She could have sworn   
that she'd seen him someplace before, but for the life of her   
couldn't think of where.  
  
The fight was relatively short. Kuno lashed out with his   
bokken at speeds that could bruise by the air pressure alone, which   
Ranma dodged on instinct, still confused about what exactly was   
going on. He was used to people attacking him, but at least they   
usually gave him a reason why, though their reasons often made   
little sense. For the second time that day he was thankful that two   
of the prime tenants of the Saotome School of Anything Goes   
Martial Arts were speed and evasion.  
Ranma shrugged. It didn't really matter why this guy was   
attacking him. Now that he wasn't facing a girl, he had no problem   
fighting back. Drawing himself up, Ranma declared, "Attack of a   
Thousand Stingers!" As he leapt at Kuno, his hands became a blur   
that no eye there could follow. Moments later Kuno lay   
unconscious, with nothing left of his bokken but splinters.  
  
"Hi, I'm ...um Ranma Saotome," he said to the class. He   
was nervous, not because it was a new school (he was used to   
transferring by now), but because of looks he was getting. Half the   
boys were glaring at him, which from prior experience Ranma   
knew would lead to fights later. He wasn't worried; none of them   
had any real training, he could take them all on without any   
trouble.  
Then there were the looks that half the girls were giving   
him which made him feel distinctly uncomfortable. They were the   
very opposite of the boys'. They were the kind of expressions his   
kid sister got at the candy store, wanting to buy all of it and take it   
with her. They all looked hungry.  
"It seems that you just transferred here from Kento High   
School," the teacher announced. "However, that doesn't change the   
fact that you and Akane Tendo were late. Go stand in the hall."  
  
"This is all your fault, you know," Akane told him after a   
few moments of silence.  
"My fault? That Kuno jerk attacked me."  
"Well, that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't butted in   
on my fight."  
"I couldn't just stand by and let those guys attack you like   
that. It isn't right. Guys shouldn't hit girls."  
"Well, I happen to be a girl and a martial artist. I've been   
fighting those guys every morning for the past week."  
"So what was that all about anyway? That Kuno guy was   
babbling something, but I could hardly understand what he was   
saying." *Does that guy think that he's in some samurai epic or   
something?*  
"At the beginning of the year, Kuno made this stupid   
speech about any guy who wanted to date me had to defeat me in   
combat first. I've had to fight them all every morning for over a   
week now."  
"And the school hasn't done anything to stop this?"  
"The principal is Kuno's dad, though no one has seen him   
yet. I hear he's in Hawaii, studying their teaching methods. The   
vice-principal is a real pushover, so Kuno can do pretty much   
whatever he wants."  
  
In another classroom, Kuno was using a hand mirror to   
examine 'Baka' printed on his forehead. Nabiki snickered as the   
kendoist complained about the 'wretched knave's' lack of proper   
spelling. Personally, she thought he had it exactly right.  
  
For lunch, the students of Furinkan High had drifted out   
into the school yard, to eat out in the sun or under the shade of   
trees, rather than in a stuffy classroom.  
Ranma wandered around, looking for a place to sit. Most   
of the guys were throwing him hostile looks while most of the girls   
looked a little too friendly. Girls like that only made him nervous.   
He knew that he was supposed to do, but what? His mother's   
suggestions always lead to trouble and when Ranma had asked his   
father, the explanation he had gotten was so vague that the old man   
could have been talking about anything from martial arts to food,   
which were about Ranma's only topics of conversation with his   
pop.  
He noticed out of the corner of his eye that the girl from the   
morning fight was sitting with two other girls under the shade of a   
tree. She was watching him with an expression that was neither   
like the boys nor the other girls were giving him. If Ranma had to   
describe it, he would have called it curious, like she didn't know   
quite what to make of him. It was a look Ranma himself usually   
reserved for some of his stranger opponents. When their eyes met,   
she turned away in a huff, as if he watching her watch him had   
offended her somehow.  
*I just don't understand girls at all.*  
Ranma had just settled in and started on his lunch when   
Kuno attacked. He managed to finish his lunch and fend of the   
kendoist with relative ease. Heck, Ranma was used to people   
trying to interrupt his meals. Training with his father over the   
dinner table every night had paid off. He used his chopsticks to   
halt Kuno's bokken and throw him into a wall, and then frowned   
slightly when he realized that if his father had seen that fight, all   
Genma would do was complain about his son using a 'weapon.'  
Lunch ended with Kuno making another trip to the nurse's   
office.  
  
Back in class, Ranma tried to catch up on his sleep. Lying   
his head on his desk wasn't nearly as comfortable as his pillow at   
home, but it would have to do. The old man insisted that Ranma   
train before school, robbing the boy of the chance to sleep in. If it   
wasn't a new rival, it was mom or his sister keeping him up late for   
some odd reason or another. That's not even mentioning the rivals   
that decided to attack in the middle of the night. *Was eight hours   
of sleep a night too much to ask?*  
The teacher knew none of this. She only saw a known   
problem student ignoring the lesson and decided that an eraser to   
the head was the best way to catch his attention.  
Just before it hit him, Ranma's hand came up, caught the   
eraser, and put it on his desk. Much to the teacher's irritation, he   
didn't raise his head the whole time.  
The teacher tried a piece of chalk, a textbook, and even a   
shoe in rapid succession. Ranma caught them all with ease, though   
for some reason he put the shoe on the floor while the rest of the   
items went to his desk. In no other way did he act awake. In fact,   
the students sitting next to him could hear the sound of his snoring.  
"Mr. Saotome! Will you please stop sleeping in my   
class?!" the teacher shouted in exasperation.  
Everyone watched in surprise as Ranma lifted his head up,   
rubbing his eyes as he yawned. "Huh? What did you say?"  
"Saotome! Buckets! Hall! Now!" the teacher practically   
screamed at him through clenched teeth.  
Ranma simply nodded, still feeling a bit sleepy, and   
wandered over to the sink to start filling buckets. As he was   
making his way to the hall, he noticed that Akane was watching   
him again with the same look she had had during lunch. Just like   
before, once she noticed him noticing, she turned away in anger.   
Ranma just shook his head. He had no idea what that was all   
about.  
  
*Some punishment,* Ranma thought as he hefted the   
buckets with ease, *I'd rather do this all day than sit in that boring   
classroom.*  
The pig-tailed boy was intimately familiar with all the   
various punishments that a school could hand out: standing in the   
hall, clean up duty, detention, extra school work, and even   
suspension. It usually wasn't his fault, but he had learned   
eventually that teachers never wanted to hear his side of things. If   
they saw a mess and he was involved in some way, then it   
immediately became his responsibility. Ranma finally gave up and   
just took whatever punishment they gave him without a word. If   
his parents didn't care, why should he? It was usually better than   
school anyway.  
Ranma was surprised to find Kuno running towards him,   
buckets in either hand. He was starting to admire the way the   
kendoist could spring back from unconsciousness. A normal guy   
should have been out for hours from what Ranma had done to him.   
He didn't even think that his pop would have recovered so fast.   
How many beatings has this guy received that he had gained such a   
high immunity to them?  
Ranma ignored Kuno's babbling, noticed the open window,   
and, with a well-placed kick, sent the older boy outside.  
Another boy looked out the window and said, "Wow,   
punting him into the pool was a quick way of taking care of him."  
"There's a pool?" Ranma asked in surprise.  
The other boy face-faulted. "You didn't know there was a   
pool? We're on the third floor!"  
"So?"  
  
Ranma breathed a sigh of relief as he finally left the   
classroom for the day. School, the most boring and pointless part   
of his day, was now over. All he wanted to do was go home,   
maybe get a little more training in, and spend some time shopping   
for ingredients. His mom was letting him cook again tonight and   
he already had the meal planned out in his mind. For Ranma, food   
was second only to martial arts. He often combined the two,   
making cooking into another form of martial arts training, building   
katas based around making meals. He loved eating and due to   
traveling with a father whose culinary expertise stopped at camp   
rice, he had learned to love cooking. He was a little surprised that   
cooking fit his mother's sometimes odd definition of manly. She   
actually helped and encouraged his hobby, though he still wished   
that she let him cook more often. While his father may have   
resented the time this took away from training, Genma often   
thought with his stomach first. His son had turned out to be a good   
cook.  
Kuno blocked the exit of the school grounds, bokken at the   
ready. He was back in his kendo garb from the morning, possibly   
because his school uniform was still wet. Already a sizable crowd,   
which Ranma noticed was mostly female for some reason, had   
gathered around him.  
"Now villain, face the righteous wrath of the Blue   
Thunder!"  
"Again?" Ranma asked him, exasperated. Usually his rivals   
weren't so persistent as to challenge him four times in the same   
day. "Weren't the first two beatings I gave you enough?"  
The crowd snickered while Kuno seethed. "No man could   
have defeated me honorably. You must have beguiled me with   
your black magic!"  
"What magic?"  
Kuno counted off the instances on his fingers. "Before   
school, you sent a swarm of angry bees to attack me. At lunch, you   
used your mystic powers to hurl me into a wall. And then you used   
your sorcery to confuse my mind so you could underhandedly   
defenestrate me."  
"Uh, what does 'defenestrate' mean?" Ranma asked,   
confused.  
Kuno had worked himself up into a frenzy so he wasn't   
exactly listening at this point. "Die, sorcerer!"  
Needless to say, the fight lasted about as long as the others.  
  
Ranma was smiling as he entered the Saotome home.   
School wasn't so bad once he got used to it. Fighting a regular   
opponent besides his pop might be nice, even if Kuno wasn't at his   
level. Ranma could use him to try out some new moves before he   
surprised his father with them. Kuno might make an interesting   
moving practice dummy, like all of those steam-powered robots   
that one girl had attacked him with once. Ranma could already   
picture one of those robots in kendo garb, rolling around clumsily   
wielding a bokken, and shouting stupid things like 'die sorcerer'   
and 'you fiend.'  
The boys would probably still be glaring at him for a while,   
but they seemed reluctant to attack him for now. Might be all the   
beatings that they've seen him give Kuno. From experience,   
Ranma guessed that soon they would gang together and attack him   
all at once. When that failed, they'd resort to something   
underhanded. Ranma had already gone through this sort of thing a   
dozen times or more. He wasn't worried; in fact it would prove   
more interesting than his classes.  
That was about the only thing Ranma had found that was   
really negative about school. Why do they have to make those   
classes so boring? Math he understood, sort of. It helped him to   
figure some things out, thinking out problems in mathematical   
terms. He had used it to win sparring matches against his father.   
But the other stuff? Why did he need to study literature? Ranma   
didn't plan on writing any books. And history? He wasn't going to   
be a historian.  
The other girls at school were already starting to make him   
edgy. This was not unfamiliar ground for Ranma; it was   
something that's been happening to him since middle school. It   
wouldn't half as bad if it weren't for all of his mom's 'suggestions.'  
Then there was Akane. He just couldn't figure that girl out.   
First, she tried to pound him for no reason, then she blamed him   
for being late when it was all Kuno's fault. She watched him   
during lunch and class, but when Ranma noticed, she turned away   
like she was mad at him for noticing.  
  
"Welcome home, son," Nodoka said to Ranma, dusting off   
her hands as she entered the room. She was all dressed up in her   
cleaning outfit, with a big yellow apron and gloves that went to her   
elbows. She even wore a handkerchief around her head. For some   
reason, she had decided that today was the day that she had to clean   
out the attic. Ranma didn't mind that much; it meant that he'd have   
to cook since his mom didn't have time to. "How was your day at   
school?"  
"Fine, mom, wasn't as boring as I thought it would be." In   
Ranma's experience, school was normally duller than watching golf   
on television.  
"I bet a lot of cute girls go to Furinkan High," Nodoka told   
him with a smile and a wink.  
Ranma sighed, but not loud enough for his mother to hear.   
*Why can't she get off my case about this?* he thought. She was   
always pushing him to be more 'manly' and do 'manly' things,   
which to her usually meant doing something with girls. Looking at   
girls, talking to girls, writing notes to girls, peeping at girls, going   
on dates with girls, even trying to kiss girls. And no matter what   
he did, it was never enough for her. If Ranma did something his   
mom suggested to get her off his case, she'd just suggest something   
else right after, which usually ten times as worse as the previous   
one. He found it best just to agree to whatever she said and then   
ignore it.  
Many times Ranma had decided enough was enough and he   
was going to tell his mother exactly what he thought about being   
'manly.' He'd march right up to her, look her right in the eye, and   
completely lose his nerve. It was the same with his pop and all of   
his weird training ideas. He wanted to tell the old man off, but his   
just couldn't. Ranma just couldn't disappoint his parents. They   
both meant too much to him, no matter what crazy ideas they   
sometimes came up with.  
"Yeah, I guess some of the girls there are cute," Ranma   
finally answered his mother.  
"Oh, my manly son!" Nodoka declared and swept him up   
into a big hug.  
*She's probably thinking that I was peeping on them or   
something,* Ranma thought. He also realized that he had another   
reason to change out of his uniform. Not only didn't it fit right, but   
now he was covered in dust.  
"Say, where's Hitomi?" Ranma changed the subject as he   
disengaged himself from his mother's embrace. He had no   
problem with his mom hugging him, he just wished she didn't do it   
when she was so dusty. Ranma didn't inquire about his father, who   
worked as an instructor at a local dojo. It surprised Ranma that his   
pop was doing so well that they asked him to teach extra classes.   
Personally, he didn't think his father was that good a sensei.   
Genma only got home sometime before dinner. No amount of   
money would ever make him late for meals.  
"Don't you remember? Your sister's juku started today.   
She should be home soon."  
Ranma nodded. His little sister Hitomi had proven to be a   
genius in elementary school, so his parents, at Nodoka's insistence,   
had sent her to an expensive private school called St. Herbeke   
Academy. The main reason his father had taken the extra   
workload was to pay for the school and the extra lessons after   
school that she had just started. Nothing was too good for daddy's   
little girl. Hitomi had firmly wrapped her father around her finger   
by age five.  
Hitomi arrived home when Ranma came back down from   
his room after changing into his Chinese-style red shirt and black   
pants. He'd never actually been to China -- in fact he bought his   
clothes from a small shop in the local Chinatown -- but for some   
reason he just felt right when he was wearing them. Anything else   
looked wrong on him.  
Ranma's little sister was thirteen and in many ways   
resembled a younger version of Nodoka, though Hitomi choose to   
wear her auburn hair long. Her eyes were a deep blue and always   
opened wide in childish innocence, which was sometimes a ruse.   
She was still in her private school uniform, which was supposed to   
make the student appear more grown up, but had the opposite   
effect on Hitomi, who, being a late bloomer, looked a year or two   
younger than her actual age. It was a source of constant irritation   
to the girl, and her brother frequently teasing her about it didn't   
help any.  
"I'm home!" Hitomi announced, slamming the door behind   
her and quickly taking off her shoes.  
"Hi, sis," Ranma said to her, meeting her in the living   
room. "Mom is upstairs cleaning the attic."  
Hitomi blink-blinked in surprise. Her mother hadn't told   
her anything about cleaning the attic. Why would she want to do   
that now of all times?  
"I don't know why she's doing it either," Ranma told her,   
guessing the question in his little sister's look. Despite their more   
than occasional fights, Ranma and Hitomi were close siblings who   
could often hold whole conversations by reading the expression of   
the other.  
Hitomi just shrugged. They both knew that their mother   
was strange and often did things for no apparent reason. With both   
of their parents like that, they'd gotten used to it over the years.  
"So how was you day at your new school, big brother? Get   
into any fights?"   
Hitomi knew that wherever Ranma went, trouble followed.   
She still remembered the time when an entire circus troupe from   
Russia had attacked him because their father had eaten all of their   
caviar and drank all of their vodka. They pounded Genma too, but   
he was too drunk at that point to feel anything.  
"Four," Ranma answered honestly.  
"All on the first day? Wow, that must be some kind of   
record for you," she teased. Hitomi loved her brother, but for some   
reason they found that teasing each other was the best way to show   
their affection.  
Ranma shrugged. The only one who cared if he got into   
fights in school was his mom and she was only worried that they   
might force him to transfer schools again.  
"They were all with the same guy. He just couldn't accept   
the fact the I beat him."  
"Can't accept his losses?" Hitomi said with a small smile.   
"Sounds like someone I know."  
Ranma knew exactly what she was talking about. "Hey, I'll   
beat you next time! Your luck can't hold out forever."  
"It takes more skill than luck to win at shogi. Skill that you   
are sorely lacking, big brother."  
  
Ranma pouted. It had all started two years ago when the   
whole Saotome family had gone to the fair. Genma had insisted   
that the rigged games would be good training and so Ranma tried   
his hand at every contest they had. And he won, every time, never   
taking more than three tries. On the way home his arms were filled   
with so many prizes that he could barely see above them, while his   
mother carried the fish.  
So Ranma, his confidence at its peak, declared that there   
was no game he couldn't win. Hitomi, who had been eyeing some   
of the stuffed animals with appreciation, challenged him to a game   
of her choosing. She insisted that Ranma wager all of his prizes,   
while she would do his homework for a month. Ranma would   
have just given her the stuffed animals at least -- he certainly didn't   
want them -- but not having to do homework -- and actually getting   
better grades in it -- was too tempting an offer to pass up.  
Ranma knew that she would pick a non-physical game.   
Hitomi was in good shape, but she wasn't a martial artist nor had   
any interest in becoming one. He hadn't really been expecting a   
board game though, especially one that he had never played before.  
Hitomi gave her brother a fair chance, giving him a shogi   
rule book and 24 hours to prepare himself. She even increased the   
odds in his favor by making it whoever wins two out of three   
games. In the end, it hadn't mattered.  
Ranma had never lost so quickly in his life. He lost the   
first two in under five minutes. Hitomi even allowed those to be   
practice games as Ranma had insisted. So they played, and played,   
and played. Three hours later, Ranma still hadn't won a single   
game, while Hitomi had not only won all of his prizes one by one,   
but half the contents of Ranma's room and a contract for a month's   
servitude besides.  
Ranma might have been able to deal with his loss by simply   
forgetting that it had happened. Only his little sister had decided   
not to let him overlook his humiliation. Hitomi never missed an   
opportunity to remind Ranma of his failure. She had ample   
occasions to do this for the month that Ranma was answerable to   
her every whim.   
Hitomi had made the most of her month. She had suddenly   
decided that her room was much too messy and would have to be   
cleaned every single day. Hitomi, who was normally very neat,   
had become a slob overnight. No matter how hard Ranma worked   
at cleaning, there was always even more work the next day. She   
also decided that all of her meals had to be served by Ranma, while   
she lay in bed. Her strength seemed to be waning so Ranma would   
have to hand feed her. He would also have to carry her anywhere   
she wanted to go. Hitomi suddenly had the need to be in a   
different place every five minutes, usually on the opposite side of   
the house. Nothing he ever did for her was good enough on the   
first try, he would have to attempt something at least ten times   
before she was satisfied. Every time he complained, glared, or   
raised his voice to her, she would pointedly remind Ranma that this   
was all because he was horrible at shogi.  
Ranma spent the month after his indentured servitude in   
intense shogi training. He studied the rule book until he knew   
every word by heart. He played a dozens of games against himself   
each day. He started to go to watch matches, studying the   
technique of the people who won. He played against his father, but   
stopped after he never lost. It was clear that pop was an even   
worse shogi player than he was, even when Genma cheated, which   
was often.  
At the end of the month, Ranma felt that he was ready and   
challenged his little sister to a rematch. Ranma bet another month   
of slavery, while Hitomi put up all of Ranma's things that she had   
won previously. They played for two hours and Ranma still hadn't   
won a single game. Ranma was still determined to win at least   
once, but he had run out of things to bet. Hitomi now had the   
entire contents of his room, along with two months of his complete   
obedience. Ranma had to sleep on the floor in a bare room and   
answer to his little sister whenever she called.  
What did their parents think of all this? Genma thought it   
was good training, while Nodoka thought it was manly for Ranma   
to be so nice to his sister.  
Hitomi eventually took pity on her brother. She gave him   
some of his things back and didn't work him as hard as she had   
before. But she still didn't let him forget about his loss though.   
For two years now he occasionally challenged her in shogi and   
Ranma had yet to win a game against her.  
  
Nodoka, alerted by the door slam, came back down from   
the attic to greet her daughter.  
Hitomi managed to get out a "Hi, mom" before she was   
swept up in a bone-crushing hug. Nodoka was even dustier than   
before so now there was a second uniform that needed to be   
laundered.  
"How was your new juku today, dear?" Nodoka asked her   
daughter after releasing her from her hug. It seemed that Nodoka   
was just as worried about Hitomi's 'womanliness' as she was over   
her son's 'manliness', though the qualifications for each were in   
many ways exact opposites. Ranma's mom seemed to think that all   
women should be intelligent, frail, domestic, and cultured. He   
often wondered about the 'frail' bit, since his mother was anything   
but, and his sister was hardly delicate.  
Ranma snickered when he saw Hitomi's look of horror at   
the state of her new uniform, now with big splotches of dust   
covering it. His sister was definitively a neat freak and treated   
most dirt as an almost personal affront. Ranma had found out the   
hard way that teasing her about this was not a good idea. In   
revenge for a mud pie in the face, Hitomi had convinced their   
father that Ranma had been slacking off and that some more   
advanced training techniques were needed. Getting attacked by an   
angry hive of bees had not been fun, even if he picked up a new   
technique in the end; his face had stayed swollen for a week.   
Ranma found that it was just too much fun to tease her though.  
Seeing Hitomi's eyes narrow at his almost-laugh, Ranma   
decided that it was time to be somewhere else for while. "I guess   
I'll go shopping for dinner now."  
"Oh Ranma, you don't need to go to so much trouble,"   
Nodoka told him. "Why don't you just make something simple   
from what we already have here? You don't always have to cook   
such elaborate things."  
Ranma did not want to stay under the same roof as his sister   
when she had that gleam her eye, especially after the day that he   
had already had. "It's no trouble, mom. I already have dinner all   
planned out anyway, there's just a few things that I need to pick   
up."  
"All right then. And if you meet a girl on the way, just call   
home and I'll just order takeout. Better yet, why not bring her   
home and impress her with your manly cooking!"  
Ranma decided to flee his home before his mom could   
come up with any more of her suggestions.  
  
Ranma whistled as he walked down the street, grocery bag   
in one hand, shopping list in the other. All of the events of the day   
had faded into the background as he concentrated on the task ahead   
of him. Namely, getting the right ingredients for the dinner that he   
had planned tonight.  
He wasn't surprised when he ran into a familiar young   
woman shopping for her own meal.  
  
Ranma had met Kasumi a few months ago when he'd   
literally ran into her, sending her purchases all over the ground,   
along with Kasumi herself. It was one of the more embarrassing   
moments of his life, though he seemed to have many more of those   
than most other people. Ranma apologized profusely and quickly   
picked up all of her things as he helped her up.  
To his surprise, the woman, who was tall with long brown   
hair, wasn't even angry. She was more amused than anything else   
with all of his bowing and mumbled apologies. Ranma offered   
many things in order to make up for what he had done, but   
eventually she talked him down to carrying her groceries for her.  
"Are you shopping for your mother?" Kasumi asked him   
suddenly, breaking the silence that had hung between them as they   
made their way to the next store.  
"Huh?" Ranma replied, surprised by the question.  
She smiled a little and said, "The groceries, I mean. I saw   
some of the things in your bag. Your mother must be an   
interesting cook."  
"Actually, they're for me. Well, they're for my whole   
family. What I mean is, I'm shopping because I'm doing the   
cooking tonight," Ranma replied nervously.  
"You cook?" Surprise was evident in Kasumi's voice.  
Ranma nodded. "I really like to, but my mother only lets   
me about once a week. She says that I should be spending my time   
on other things."  
He decided not to say that what his mother wanted him to   
spend time on was peeping and going out on dates. Ranma knew   
from experience that just saying those things to a woman would   
earn him a slap in the face. He distinctly remembered an incident   
in middle school involving an old scroll his mom had found among   
his pop's master's things. That had taught him just how really   
violent a girl could get.  
Ranma stopped walking when he noticed that Kasumi was   
just standing there. She was looking at him, yet her eyes seemed   
focused on something else.   
"It's not that big a deal," he told her.  
Kasumi looked a bit embarrassed. "I was just surprised,   
that's all," she said and started to walk again. "Not many boys take   
an interest in cooking, especially at your age."  
"My age? You can't be that much older than me, and I'm   
going to be starting high school in a few months."  
"Oh, really? You must be about the same age as my sister   
then. I'm a few years older than her."  
"So?" Ranma wondered why this woman thought that a   
few years made any difference. His little sister was three years   
younger than him, but she acted more adult than he did, most of the   
time anyway. "Do a few years matter so much?"  
"No, I suppose not," Kasumi replied after a moment and   
started on her way again, Ranma following closely behind.  
  
"Hello, Ranma-kun," Kasumi greeted him warmly as she   
walked up to him. She was wearing a conservative house dress as   
always, but Ranma had noticed that her newer clothes seemed to fit   
her figure better, though felt a bit ashamed to look at his friend like   
that. Probably because she wasn't worried about growing out of   
them any more. He also thought he detected a hint of makeup and   
perfume, but shrugged it off; he'd been seeing it everywhere since   
his sister had become interested in them. No one as practical as   
Kasumi would get all dressed up for the market. Maybe she   
planned on Dr. Tofu afterwards? The doctor did seem interested in   
her and she was very nice to him.  
"Hello, Kasumi. How are you today?" Ranma asked as he   
fell into step with her.  
Kasumi and Ranma already had a familiar pattern going.   
They would chat about cooking or minor things in their lives as   
they traveled to all of their favorite stores, looking over the food,   
comparing quality and prices.  
"I'm doing well. Your advice on that American dish was   
very helpful. Even I was surprised on how well it turned out."  
Ranma hung his head, feeling a little embarrassed. He   
wasn't used to be praised by anyone but his mom. He hadn't really   
told Kasumi that much, just something he had noticed when   
making the dish himself. Kasumi was really a much better cook   
than he was, even though he had only sampled some of her   
cookies. She just knew so much more about cooking than he did   
and she'd given him advice on dozens of occasions already.   
Ranma didn't feel that he deserved to be praised when Kasumi   
knew so much.  
"What do you plan to cook tonight?" Kasumi asked, which   
was another part of their ritual. Neither felt completely   
comfortable with other people, so they had found that discussing   
what they planned on making that night was a good way to ease the   
tension. When they had begun this, it was usually Ranma who had   
asked first. Now it was usually Kasumi.  
"This Thai dish that I found in a magazine. It sounded   
interesting enough."  
Genma did not approve of his son reading cooking   
magazines, so Ranma had to hide them under his bed and skim   
them by flashlight. His mom didn't mind though. She seemed   
delighted that time that she had caught him at it. Why she was so   
happy he'd never know. There was no way she could have seen   
what sort of magazine it was.  
"Oh, you must tell me how it comes out, and even let me   
borrow the recipe sometime. I don't know if my father would like   
something like that though."  
"That's not a problem for me. My pop will eat anything.   
Only my kid sister is a picky eater, but then she likes Thai food."  
Kasumi laughed a little. "From the way you describe him,   
it sounds that your father would eat rocks if they were prepared   
properly."  
"I doubt even he would be able to stomach some of those   
horrors that you told me your sister makes though."  
They both laughed at that. Neither talked about their family   
much unless it had something to do with food. For Ranma, it was   
his father's appetite. For Kasumi, it was her sister's complete lack   
of skill in the kitchen. Stories about either had made for some   
amusing moments. But for some reason, Kasumi never mentioned   
her sisters by name. Every time he asked, she changed the subject.   
Ranma decided that if Kasumi wanted to keep it a secret then he   
wasn't going to pry. He did wonder about it though, since Kasumi   
normally seemed so open and honest.  
"So what are you going to cook tonight?" Ranma asked.  
Ranma listened on enthralled as Kasumi described in detail   
the numerous little touches she was going to make to a meal that   
would have been fairly normal otherwise.  
Ranma and Kasumi's cooking style were very different, as   
much as Ranma could surmise from what she had told him. He   
usually chose exotic dishes which he would prepare as if they were   
a martial arts kata. In some ways, he was as much into the   
presentation as the food itself.  
Kasumi, however, would take an ordinary dish and make it   
extraordinary by adding so many little improvements that it hardly   
resembled the recipe at all. She calmly prepared meals, believing   
that the food should stand on its own.  
Ranma had once tried cooking Kasumi's way. The results   
had been a disaster. Not even his pop had eaten it. When he told   
Kasumi about this, she said that every cook had his or her own   
individual style and that one should cook the way one feels, not   
copying the methods of others.  
"So how was your new school?" Kasumi asked him.   
Ranma had mentioned last time they had met that he'd been   
forcibly transferred because one of his rivals had wrecked the gym.   
Kasumi always seemed very amused by the things that happened to   
Ranma, but she never teased or blamed him for them. She was   
actually one of the few people that was sympathetic to Ranma's   
problems.  
Ranma shook his head. Even he had a hard time believing   
what had happened to him at school. "I had to get up even earlier   
to practice and catch the bus, but that wasn't so bad. When I get to   
school there's a mob of boys attacking this one girl. So I jump in   
and help her out, even though, to be honest, she was doing okay by   
herself. So after all the boys are knocked out, she turns on me.   
Now I can see her making the mistake that I was one of the boys   
trying to attack her, but when I told her that I didn't want to fight   
her, she actually got madder.  
"So she's attacking me for a while and I'm basically   
dodging and wondering how to end this without hitting her. Then   
this kendo guy strides across the school yard like he owns the place   
and stops the fight."  
"Well that was a good thing," Kasumi commented as she   
turned away from Ranma and checked the ripeness of some   
vegetables.  
Ranma shook his head. "No, not really, since he challenged   
me to fight him right after. This guy might have been a challenge a   
year ago, but today he just made me late for class. That would   
have been okay since I'd rather lift buckets than sit through boring   
lectures. Only the girl from the morning was there too and was   
blaming me for us being late."  
"Ranma, you should really try harder in school. How do   
you expect to pass the entrance exams and get into a good college   
if you don't pay attention to the lessons? Still, it was that other   
boy's fault for your being late. I also think that girl was partially to   
blame for fighting you in the first place."  
Ranma didn't quite understand why Kasumi was so   
insistent that he make the most of his education. She took it almost   
as a personal affront when he purposefully slacked off. If she   
didn't go to college despite how well she did in school, why should   
he? Ranma realized that that could be the very reason, along with   
Kasumi's supportive nature. She was a true friend, always wanting   
what was best for him, even if Ranma didn't want it himself.  
"The jerk wasn't satisfied with the first time I beat him. He   
kept insisting that I used some sort of black magic to cheat him of   
his victory. I think this guy is a few bokkens short of a kendo   
team. He tried to fight me three more times, but it only got easier   
to beat him. I can understand wanting to be the best, but you   
should at least train more before attacking a superior opponent   
again."  
"Oh, did anything else interesting happen?" Kasumi asked,   
smiling slightly in amusement.  
Ranma decided not to tell Kasumi about the hostile looks   
that girl Akane had been throwing him, nor about the way that the   
girls had been all giving him googly eyes. It seemed that Kasumi   
didn't like it at all when other girls acted improperly around him.   
Ranma knew that she would never act that way.  
"Well, I sort of fell asleep in class," he admitted,   
embarrassed.  
"Ranma!"  
"I didn't mean to. I'm still adjusting to waking up earlier,   
that's all. Besides, this wouldn't happen if the teacher's lessons   
weren't so boring."  
"You really should try harder, Ranma," she scolded him   
gently, though her tone was more exasperated and amused than   
angry.  
"I know, Kasumi, I'm sorry," Ranma always felt bad when   
Kasumi was disappointed in him.  
"It's okay, Ranma. I'm sure that you'll try harder next time."  
  
Now back in the Saotome home, Ranma sought out the   
kitchen and started to set up for the meal that he had planned. His   
father was home, making some headway on the evening paper,   
while his sister was upstairs on her computer yet again. Ever since   
she had gotten that thing months ago, she had spent several hours a   
day on it. Ranma didn't really understand computers himself.   
Hitomi had tried to teach Ranma how to use her Mac -- which   
Ranma thought was a pretty silly name for a computer -- but was   
forced to give up in sheer frustration. Ranma laughed a little at   
that. His sister tried to make herself look like little miss perfect,   
but she did have quite a temper, inherited from their father.   
His mother had finished cleaning the attic and was now   
going through the many things that they had stored there.  
"Oh, Ranma?" Nodoka called her son from upstairs.  
"Yeah, mom?"  
"After dinner, could you help be bring some of the boxes   
from the attic to the basement and out to the trash?"  
Ranma had already had such a long day that he had actually   
considered turning in earlier than he normally did. "Why can't you   
get pops to do it?"  
"Now, Ranma, you know that your father works hard all   
day."  
Ranma snorted. It was hard to imagine his lazy father   
working hard on anything. Ranma agreed to help, wondering again   
why his mother was cleaning out the attic. For as long as he could   
remember, it had been a place of cobwebs and boxes, to store   
things when you wanted to forget about them. There was   
something else on the edge of his memory, a figure like a goblin   
lurking there, but shrugged it off as an old childhood fear he could   
now only half-remember. Ranma shook his head, he should be   
worrying about tonight's dinner instead.  
The recipe was pretty straightforward, if a little unusual. It   
called for combinations of foods that Ranma wasn't used to using   
together, but he didn't mind experimenting. It ended up being well   
received; pops patted his stomach in appreciation and Hitomi had a   
rare showing of the Saotome appetite, one that would be fun to   
tease her about later. Ranma smiled slightly in satisfaction, having   
done something that he knew was appreciated, even by his father.  
Ranma spent the remainder of the evening moving boxes   
around for his mom. He complained about it a little, but it was   
really only for show. He actually liked physical activity where he   
didn't have to think. He felt so relaxed that the day once receded to   
the back of his mind. The monotonous work and gotten him into   
such a state of peace that it was easy for him to fall asleep that   
night and not worry about what he might have to face tomorrow.  



	3. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ranma 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
In a town within the Nerima ward, Ranma awoke to greet   
the sunrise. This wasn't by choice; he had to get in his morning   
sparring with his father, eat breakfast, and get ready for school all   
in time to catch an early bus. Furinkan was far enough away that   
walking there was sure to make him late. Tardiness might mean   
getting transferred to a school that was ever farther away.  
Ranma still felt a little groggy, a sure sign that the old man   
was going to beat him at sparring today. Privately, he believed that   
he had surpassed his father a few months ago, but that didn't mean   
his pops didn't have any fight left in him. The old man had   
strength and endurance to spare, plus being about as crafty as they   
come. Even when Ranma was in top form, wins against his father   
didn't come easily, but the pig-tailed boy wouldn't have it any other   
way.  
  
Chapter 2: Two Friendships  
  
At about the same time, and in a place much closer to   
Furinkan High, Kasumi Tendo also arose to greet the sunrise, as   
she had been doing for nearly a decade now, to start preparing   
breakfast before the other members of her family awoke. If anyone   
had observed her all this time, they would have noticed a lightness   
in her step and a slightly wider smile on her lips this particular   
morning. Not a rare sight of late, but one unheard of a year ago.  
There was a simple reason for this: Kasumi was happy.   
That's not to say she didn't enjoy cooking meals, cleaning, or   
keeping the house in order. While she was infrequently thanked   
her for her efforts, she knew that she was appreciated. However,   
this did not mean much to her; it was in the acts themselves that   
she had found contentment. Yes, for the longest time Kasumi had   
been content with her life as it was, but something, or rather   
someone, had given her a glimpse into the possibility of true   
happiness.  
As she rose from her bed, she imagined that her room   
belonged not just to herself, but also to another. After taking her   
bath, she fantasized that she was not preparing it for her father, but   
for someone even more special to her. As she passed the rooms of   
her sisters, she imagined that they now belonged to much younger   
children, still tucked in, waiting for the scent of their mother's   
breakfast to awake them. She began to blush at this particular   
thought.  
As Kasumi moved out to the dojo, she could feel her pulse   
quicken as these day-dreams grew stronger. She would open the   
door and lean against its frame, watching her husband move   
through an intricate kata that she could barely follow, his black hair   
wild and chest glistening with sweat. He would pretend not to   
have heard her, but as the smile grew on his lips she knew that this   
was a special performance for an audience of one. That he was   
performing for her and her alone.  
Kasumi would towel him down at the end of his practice,   
telling him that the bath was already hot. He would hold her close,   
give her a quick peck on the lips, and hurry off to the furo. She   
would stay in the dojo for a few minutes more, tidying up for her   
husband's classes that day. Making sure that everything would be   
perfect for him, her life and love.  
Then she would move on to the kitchen, preparing breakfast   
as one by one her children would come downstairs, eventually   
followed by their father. She would present the meal to those   
smiling faces, eager to show their appetite for their mother's   
wonderful cooking. And Kasumi would smile as her husband   
would hold her close, and whisper, "Kasumi-chan" in her ear. She   
would smile and whisper back, "Ranma."  
The sounds of other people stirring snapped Kasumi out of   
her day-dream, but the smile stayed on her lips as she finished   
preparing breakfast.  
  
Akane yawned as she blinked the sleep from her eyes and   
shut off her alarm's annoying buzzing with an open palm strike,   
automatically pulling the blow so as not to damage the delicate (in   
her view at least) time piece. She'd gone through quite a few alarm   
clocks in learning that it wasn't always a good idea to hit   
everything with full force. It had been her father's whining about   
going bankrupt over busted alarm clocks that had finally convinced   
her to be more gentle with said time pieces.  
For a few moments she merely sat in bed, willing herself to   
be able to tolerate going to school when she knew what was   
waiting for her there. Yet for some reason she didn't find it as hard   
that particular morning, as it had been all of the previous week.   
She spent another moment wondering about it, not coming to any   
real conclusions, decided she was being silly, and then hopped out   
of bed.  
Akane, by her nature, was normally an earlier riser. As a   
child she had jumped out of bed and ran down the stairs for   
breakfast, usually before said breakfast was finished cooking. That   
had changed some years ago when she had taken up jogging. Now   
she no longer had to impatiently wait for the food to be ready.  
It had been harder to do this year, however. Boys had   
noticed her before, but it had never really bothered her. She just   
ignored them. Kuno, however, proved all but impossible to ignore,   
and due to his little speech it was a battle for her just to get to   
school every day. It hadn't been so bad at first -- since her father   
no longer sparred with her she needed the practice -- but she had   
grown so tired of it all. It made going to school that much more of   
a chore to her, and one that she looked forward to doing less and   
less.  
With a sigh, she quickly changed into her jogging outfit,   
sprinted down the stairs, and out the door.  
  
Nabiki, unlike the rest of her family, was not by nature an   
early riser. It took her a definite effort to get ready for the day, but   
an effort that she had been making for so long that it was nearly a   
reflex. Not so that day. Instead, she yawned and stumbled, still   
feeling half-asleep. She tried convincing herself that it was staying   
up all night thinking over the e-mail message she had gotten that   
had done it, but she knew that it was the contents of that message   
that had sapped her will.  
Over one school break about a year ago, she had been   
making her rounds as usual, earning her yen for the day. This day,   
however, she found that she was being followed by a little girl with   
long auburn hair. As far as she could tell, the girl had been   
watching her intently for over an hour.  
Finally having had enough, Nabiki walked right up to the   
girl. But before she could say anything, the girl asked, "What have   
you been doing?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I've been watching you collect money from people. Why   
are you doing that?"  
"Because they owe me money."  
"But why do they all owe money to you?"  
"Why are you asking about it?"  
The girl shrugged. "Just curious, I guess."  
"Well, the last person had made a bet with me and lost.   
The one before that had taken out a loan with me and I was just   
collecting his payment. I had some photos to sell to Kuno, he's the   
kid that lived in the mansion."  
"So it's like you're running a business?"  
Nabiki nodded. It wasn't exactly legal or a hundred percent   
honorable, but since she wasn't allowed to get a part-time job, it   
was about the only way a school girl could make money. Nabiki   
liked having money, and while her family wasn't poor, there wasn't   
a lot of funds for the extra things she had wanted. That was why   
she had started, at least; she had come to enjoy the thrill of a   
challenge, the thought and skill that went into bleeding every yen   
she could from her opponent. Her problem now was that she had   
gotten so good at it that it wasn't a challenge any more. She could   
take all of someone's money without even thinking about it. Her   
whole business was becoming more of a chore than a pleasure.   
She was looking for a way to get back the old thrill again, and   
perhaps this is what put her in an unusual mindset for what the girl   
said next.  
Then the girl asked, "Can you teach me how to do that?"  
Nabiki was a little surprised by the girl's request, and it took   
some convincing on the girl's part to show that she was serious, but   
eventually the middle Tendo sister relented and took on her first   
official student, Hitomi.  
Hitomi lived in the next town over and would occasionally   
take the train to study with her new sensei. At first, Nabiki was   
keeping whatever profits Hitomi made as learning fees for herself.  
While she was admittedly greedy, that wasn't the reason that she   
was taking all the profits. She honestly believed that this was a   
whim on Hitomi's part and wanted to see just how committed her   
new student was. As the training progressed, Nabiki reduced her   
cut until it was only a small portion of what her student was taking   
in. Somehow teaching had revived the mercenary girl within her   
and she started working on improving her own business to the   
point where she was making several times more than what Hitomi   
had brought in. The old thrill of earning yen was back, and owing   
it all to Hitomi, Nabiki felt a little guilty about snatching away the   
profits of her student.  
At Nabiki's suggestion, they started to communicate more   
often over e-mail. She had sold her old Mac at a discounted price   
to her new student. She had planned on getting a new one anyway,   
but still it was odd for her to sell it at a price that was much less   
than she could have sold it to someone else for. Nabiki told herself   
that this was a present to her student for doing so well, but on the   
inside she was wondering if she was starting to go soft.  
  
Nabiki switched on her computer and got her things ready   
for a bath as it booted up. Quickly entering her password, she went   
into her e-mail and pulled out the message, reading it for what had   
to be the hundredth time.  
  
To: TheQueenOf@FurinkanHigh.ac.jp  
From: HitomiS@HerbekeAcademy.ac.jp  
Subject: Outside Activities  
  
Sensei,  
I just started my new juku and my own business is   
expanding at my new school, so I won't be able to come and study   
under you as often any more.  
You've helped me so much, sensei, so please let me know if   
there is anything I can do to help you.  
  
Hitomi  
  
Nabiki thought it over again. Hitomi was just like having a   
kid sister, even to Nabiki who already had one. Better actually;   
Akane and she didn't really have any common interests so they   
didn't spend much time together. It was nice to have someone who   
looked up to you, listened to you, and tried to follow in your   
footsteps. Nabiki enjoyed having someone to look out for, to   
protect, and to guide. Maybe it was the emergence of a motherly   
instinct or just plain old loneliness, but she enjoyed it, whatever the   
reason.  
There was another side to it, however. Nabiki had taught   
Hitomi about the importance of an exchange: that nothing came of   
nothing, and that one should always make sure they got something   
out of any deal. The girl had taken this lesson to heart, and decided   
that she needed to repay her sensei for all that she had been taught.   
Nabiki argued that the profits Hitomi had already given her were   
more than enough, but the girl was adamant on 'paying her sensei   
back in full.' And since she couldn't help improve her sensei's   
business, Hitomi had decided to help in other areas, mostly by   
continuously trying to convince Nabiki to have interests that didn't   
involve business in some way. Slowly but surely, Nabiki's   
resistance had been worn down. She sighed a little bit, and began   
to type.  
  
To: HitomiS@HerbekeAcademy.ac.jp  
From: TheQueenOf@FurinkanHigh.ac.jp  
Subject: Re: Outside Activities  
  
You've helped me so much, sensei, so please let me know if   
there is anything I can do to help you.  
  
What would you suggest I do then?  
  
Nabiki  
  
Nabiki found that finally replying to that message and a   
nice long soak had rejuvenated her spirits. She was ready to go out   
and earn her little pocket full of yen. But first, breakfast.  
She came downstairs to find the meal already laid out;   
miso, fish, and rice were all tastefully arranged next to the hot tea   
waiting to be poured. Kasumi was currently arranging her own   
breakfast, her eyes half-closed and a smile on her lips. To Nabiki,   
it looked like her elder sister was thinking of something other than   
the food in front of her and wondered what it could be. She   
shrugged; as long as it kept Kasumi cheerful, she was all for it.   
Her great cooking alone was worth the price of her happiness.  
It was a quiet morning, with only birdsong and the faint   
sound of their father in the dojo, going through his morning katas.   
He hadn't taught anyone since Akane was little, but he still liked to   
keep his skills up so he didn't get too rusty.  
"Good morning, Nabiki," Kasumi said as her sister sat   
down, and then poured them both some tea. "Did you sleep well?"  
The middle Tendo had to smile at that. Despite the small   
age difference between them, Kasumi looked after her as if she   
were still a child. Somehow, Nabiki didn't resent it though.  
"I slept okay, how about you, sis?"  
"Oh yes, I slept very well."  
Nabiki could have sworn that for a moment it looked like   
her elder sister was actually blushing, but she had to be mistaken.   
Kasumi did not blush. Not even the time the waiter had hit on her   
at a restaurant. Not that her elder sister had even realized that the   
guy had been trying to pick her up. Nabiki was becoming more   
and more convinced that Kasumi lived in a world of her own, and   
was increasingly envious of the happy place that elder sister   
inhabited.  
Nabiki decided to try something a little bold. She didn't   
think it was true, but at least would get some sort of reaction out of   
Kasumi.  
"Wow sis, do you a secret boyfriend or something?"  
The eldest sister nearly choked on her tea as her cheeks   
turned instantly rosy and her eyes held a wide, panicked look that   
Nabiki had never seen in her before. She was feeling a little   
startled herself. She'd just been joking, she had never expected it   
to be true.  
"Of course not, Nabiki! How could you even think such a   
thing?!" Kasumi practically yelled in a tone that was just barely in   
control.  
It was the kind of reaction Nabiki would expect from   
Akane, not Kasumi, who often acted as if she didn't fully   
understand the world around her. Nabiki wasn't sure how to read   
this. If it had been Akane, then she would have known that such a   
strong denial meant that it had to be true. Kasumi had never acted   
this way before, so it was hard to tell. It might be a cover-up,   
though it could also be Kasumi outraged at being asked such a   
question. The former was so nearly unthinkable for Kasumi that   
Nabiki immediately favored the latter.  
It was possible though, Nabiki realized as she thought about   
it some more. Kasumi went shopping about every day and always   
took her time about it no matter what she was out to get. People   
rarely went with her so no one actually knew how she spent that   
time. She could have been meeting someone, ridiculous as the   
notion may be.  
Kasumi had been acting a bit differently the past six months   
or so. Before, she seemed to have a sort of inner peace thing   
going, like she was a Buddha in training or something. Now she   
was both happier and sadder. She was usually the former, grinning   
instead of just smiling, actually laughing out loud at times, a sound   
which Nabiki hadn't recalled ever hearing before this year. Kasumi   
even made a joke about Akane's cooking. Nabiki, and everyone   
else, had been too stunned to laugh.  
She was also occasionally melancholy. If she ever was sad   
before, she had never shown any sign of it. Akane and father were   
still just as oblivious, but Nabiki noticed and tried to help her sister   
out as best she could during those times. Nabiki never liked how   
inadequate such moments made her feel. Kasumi had done so   
much for her, but she was woefully ill equipped to return some of   
that kindness.  
*But if she does have a boyfriend, then why keep it a   
secret? And why deny it so strongly? This might be something   
worth looking into.*  
  
Returning from her jog, Akane took a deep breath and let it   
out slowly. She already felt ten times better than she had when she   
had woken up. Running always made her feel so wonderfully   
peaceful and alive that it was hard for her to worry about what   
would happen in the school yard.  
Positive that Nabiki would be done washing up by now,   
Akane gathered up her bath things and headed for the furo. Sure   
enough, it was empty. She sort of missed those times years ago   
when all three Tendo sisters had always taken their baths together.   
The youngest Tendo wasn't complaining though, she enjoyed   
having the bath to herself, though she did resent not being able to   
enjoy it as long as she would have liked. Just washing up wasn't   
good enough after her jog and coming in late was not an option   
when those boys would be waiting for her in the school yard. If   
they didn't slow her down, Kuno certainly would. That was   
another reason for her to pound them all into the dirt.  
Kasumi called her down for breakfast just as she was   
starting to forget about boys and relax.  
"I'll be right down," Akane called back, trying to keep her   
irritation out of her voice. It wasn't her sister's fault that she   
couldn't enjoy a bath, it was all because of those stupid boys for   
listening to that idiot Kuno.  
Akane noted, as she sat down to breakfast, that her sister   
was smiling as always, serving a meal that Akane knew she could   
not hope to recreate. Only her father joined her at the table.   
Nabiki had eaten early so she could be off for school and Kasumi   
had eaten with her as she usually did. Soun was picking at his   
breakfast while he studied the newspaper and Akane's elder sister   
was starting on her household chores for the day. Their house was   
so quiet and normal that it always left Akane somewhat unprepared   
for the chaos that awaited her when she left it behind.  
Akane listened to Kasumi humming a sweet little song as   
she washed some dishes, her eyes half-closed and a smile playing   
at the corners of her mouth. Akane wondered what she was   
thinking of. In many ways her eldest sister was a mystery to her.   
Her father was much like herself, and not just in matters of martial   
arts. He was the source of her temper, though he was much more   
likely to break down and cry these days. Nabiki she could also   
understand, to at least to some extent. She knew the reasons why   
she sometimes did things, even though Akane usually didn't think   
they were worth while. She had never had any need for yen   
beyond what she got for an allowance.  
Akane could not figure out how Kasumi could live the life   
she had and be so happy all of the time. She would have been   
unbelievably frustrated and bored if all she did all day was cook   
and clean. She even felt guilty sometimes that they had dumped all   
of this work on Kasumi and would try to help her out, though she   
knew her attempts at housework often created more work for her   
eldest sister than less. Even after cleaning up one of Akane's   
cooking disasters, Kasumi would still be smiling no matter how   
bad the mess was. Akane had once talked to Nabiki about it, but   
the middle Tendo had told her that as long as Kasumi was happy   
with the way things were, then they shouldn't try to get in her way.   
Akane had reluctantly agreed.  
  
Hitomi awoke the second her alarm sounded and felt a   
surge of triumph. She knew it was a very small victory, but she   
enjoyed it nonetheless. She had worked hard to get over her   
natural inclination to sleep in, inherited from her lazy father.   
Nabiki had taught her the importance of making every hour in the   
day count. Every extra minute spent sleeping meant one less   
minute doing what you wanted to. Hitomi was already convinced   
that there weren't enough minutes in the day to begin with. She   
thought it was ironic that her brother Ranma, who liked to sleep in,   
had to get up even earlier than her now so he wouldn't be late for   
school.  
She switched on her computer as she started to get ready for   
the day. Nabiki hadn't replied to her message last night, which was   
odd since her sensei was usually very prompt about things like that,   
checking her e-mail every day. The most business often went to   
those most vigilant after all.  
Hitomi smiled when she read Nabiki's reply. Soon the   
smile grew into a full-blown grin that erupted with laughter. She   
just happened to have the _perfect_ way for her sensei to spend her   
extra time. She had had the idea for some a while now, waiting for   
an opportunity like this to use it.  
Her plan was actually quite simple. Both Nabiki and her   
brother weren't seeing anyone and neither had ever been on a real   
date before. They also happened to be the people that Hitomi liked   
most in the world, next to her parents that is. If they married, then   
the person she had come to regard as her older sister would become   
her real sister. She didn't expect love at first sight, but she would   
do her best to speed things along.  
Hitomi quickly typed her reply as a plan began to form in   
her mind. Tomorrow was the first year anniversary of her   
becoming Nabiki's student. She had planned to take her sensei out   
to a fancy restaurant which she had already gotten a reservation for.   
Unfortunately, her own business, combined with juku and some   
school activities, were keeping her too busy. She had planned to   
get out of her obligations and take out her sensei anyway, but it   
would be much better if she could persuade her brother to go in her   
place. She enjoyed the irony that she would be using the very   
skills that Nabiki had taught her in order to set up this date.  
As Hitomi was heading for the bath, she nearly tripped on   
something that was sticking out from under her bed. She pulled   
out the short wooden staff and stared at it in confusion before she   
finally remembered. Her mother had finished cleaning up the attic,   
storing everything in boxes, some marked for the basement, others   
the trash. Hitomi had been curious over what her mother had   
found and decided to take a look.  
She had seen many strange things, but it had been the short   
staff that had really caught her eye. It was made of a wood that   
was a dark reddish brown and nearly smooth as glass to the touch,   
at least those portions of it had hadn't been intricately carved. They   
were all of abstract shapes that, with their gently flowing curves,   
reminded Hitomi of water. She decided to keep the staff for   
herself since it was headed for the trash anyway.  
  
Ranma wasn't really surprised to see Akane fighting a mob   
of boys before school the next day. If the group hadn't given up   
after a week of this, it was unlikely to stop because Ranma had hit   
some of them a little harder than they were used to yesterday.   
Ranma decided not to interfere this time, though Akane would   
probably yell at him for not helping her. He had a feeling that   
she'd yell at him no matter what he did, so thought it best not to   
draw her attention.  
Ranma skirted the edge of the fight, which was nearly over,   
in an effort to avoid any trouble before school started. Akane   
would probably try to fight him again, if only to prove that she   
could fight her own battles, and Kuno would still insist that he   
hadn't been beaten. Suddenly, the aforementioned kendoist   
blocked his path.  
"So I find you, wretch, clinging to the shadows like a   
cowardly dog, in the vain hope to avoid my vigilant eyes. It has all   
been for naught knave, justice will be served. So says the Blue   
Thunder of Furinkan High!"  
*Is it my imagination,* Ranma thought, *or are his   
speeches getting worse?* "What do you want this time, Kuno?"  
"For you to set aside your tricks and fight me honestly, man   
to man. Only in this way can I prove my superiority to you and   
win the hand of the lovely Akane Tendo."  
Ranma decided now wasn't the time to mention that Akane   
was a little too busy with her own fight to notice him at the   
moment. Not that she would have cared anyway; Akane looked at   
Kuno as if he were some kind of bug, while Ranma didn't think   
that she held him much higher in her estimation. They could both   
beat each other senseless and she wouldn't bat an eyelash.  
"What does that have to do with me?" Ranma asked him.  
"I am sworn to protect the fierce tigress that is Akane   
Tendo from fiends such as yourself. If you wish to possess her,   
then you must challenge her to honorable combat, not beguile her   
with your witchery. Swear true that once I defeat you, you will   
pester her no more."  
Ranma wasn't aware that he was 'pestering' her, in fact he   
seemed the only guy in school that wasn't. "So if you win this   
fight, I have to leave her alone?"  
The kendoist nodded.  
"So what do I get if I win?" After playing shogi with his   
sister, Ranma learned to make sure you always get something if   
you win. She wouldn't even play unless they were both betting   
something.  
"You will not."  
"But suppose I do, shouldn't I get something? How about   
this: If I win, you have to make sure that morning fights with   
Akane will stop and make sure that no one at school tries to fight   
her any more, including you."  
"But what better way is there to prove my love for her?"   
Kuno beseeched the heavens, hand held to his forehead in a gesture   
of tragedy.  
Ranma groaned. This guy just could not be for real.   
"Look, all you have to do is beat me and you won't have to worry   
about it."  
Kuno pondered this for a few more moments in silence,   
until he finally said, "Oh, very well. Your chances of defeating me   
are so slim that it matters little."  
Ranma didn't know if this guy was blind, stupid, or had an   
ego the size of Osaka. It was probably all three. Ranma cracked   
his knuckles and prepared to pound the kendoist into the ground.  
Kuno fought better than he had before, Ranma had to give   
him that. His bokken was blur as he sought to maim the pig-tailed   
boy. Ranma still won in the end, but Kuno had managed to give   
him a few bruises to remember him by.  
*If he would always fight at this level,* Ranma thought,   
*he might turn into an interesting sparring partner.* He had no   
doubt that Kuno would challenge him again.  
Ranma woke the kendoist by knocking him on the head   
with his own bokken. "Hey, anybody in there?"  
"That hurt, you know," was Kuno's reply.  
"Well, you fought okay that time, but you still lost. Now   
don't forget our bet."  
"I protest! You must have used your magics on me again.   
No one can defeat the Blue Thunder, no one!"  
Ranma knocked on his head to stop the kendo boy's ranting.   
"Since when is pounding someone with fists and feet magic? I   
didn't use any sorcery this time or any other time I fought you. If   
you won't believe me, ask some of the people who saw the fight.   
We fought, you lost, now are you going to be a man and honor our   
bet?"  
Kuno sat in thought for some time, his eyes closed. Ranma   
was about to clonk him in the head again, when the kendoist   
sprang up, knocking Ranma on his butt.  
Kuno stood, fist upraised, and declared to the heavens,   
"Yes! The Blue Thunder will now protect the fair Akane Tendo   
from all challengers, and in that way prove my love to her!"  
"That's not what I meant. I just wanted you to stop the   
morning fights," Ranma said, but Kuno was already long gone.   
*Well,* he thought, *at least I'm not going to be late for class   
today.*  
Ranma suddenly found himself surrounded by a mob which   
had been growing ever since the fight with Kuno had began. He   
was now encircled by most of the school, all shouting things at   
him. "Wow, you beat Kuno again!" "What did you mean by bet?"   
"Do you have a girlfriend?" "Are you dating Akane?"  
  
Nabiki sat in class, watching the morning drama as it   
played out in the school yard. On the left, her sister Akane was   
engaged in fierce combat with the various members of Furinkan   
High's sports' clubs. This had become such a typical sight that it   
was boring to watch. The fight was so repetitive that she could tell   
which moves her sister was going to use even before she used   
them. Boy attacks, Akane dodges, counterattacks, knocking the   
boy unconscious. Repeat until you run out of boys.  
And on the right, the boy who had made the mistake of   
getting involved in one of Akane's fights yesterday, who had also   
beaten Kuno, the best martial artist in school, four times in one   
day. Kyoko, one of her factors in her sister's class, had informed   
Nabiki that his name was Ranma Saotome. She wondered if she   
had heard the name before, since it sounded so familiar. It could   
be because that boy was a sort of legend in the Japanese   
educational system. He had been forcibly transferred time and   
time again for offenses including, but not limited to: being late,   
sleeping in class, destruction of school and private property,   
assault, and inciting a riot. His total list of crimes ran several   
pages long.  
However, the morning fights hadn't been able to keep her   
attention that day, though her eyes did linger over Ranma. She was   
thinking of Hitomi's e-mail message, and the possibility that her   
oldest sister was engaged in some secret rendezvous with a man   
during her frequent shopping trips.  
Nabiki had never had a boyfriend. Actually, she had never   
gone on a real date. It wasn't due to a lack of offers; even with her   
mercenary reputation some guys were interested in her looks and   
obvious intelligence. Besides, some people liked ruthless women.   
She was beginning to suspect that several of her factors were   
developing crushes on her. That she hadn't accepted any of their   
offers was usually due to a lack to time or interest, though most   
often the latter. All the guys at school were either boring, crazy, or   
obsessed with her sister. There was simply no one worth her time,   
so she had given up looking. She also had much quicker and more   
effective means of getting their yen than dating them.  
The e-mail from Hitomi, combined with her conversation   
with Kasumi that morning, had reawakened her interest in the idea   
of dating. Unfortunately, she was still at school with the same   
people. They were all already crossed off her mental list as not   
being worth it, and she just couldn't persuade herself to give them   
another chance. The only prospect not on the blacklist was   
currently fighting an enraged Kuno.  
Nabiki didn't know much about the new student, but what   
she did know was both positive and negative. Ranma was   
obviously a great martial artist, and if he could end up a good a   
teacher as he was a fighter then he was guaranteed to be a popular   
sensei. Even without going that road, there were always   
competitions and other work to think about, like being a stunt   
double in a movie. And if he turned out to have any acting ability,   
Ranma could become an action star. Either way, he was   
potentially lucrative.  
On the minus side, he was also a troublemaker who was   
famous for causing chaos wherever he went. The cost of damages   
alone might be enough to offset anything he could earn. She had   
also heard that he barely paid attention in class, even sleeping   
through a lecture on his first day. Being a poor student meant bad   
grades, which cut off some avenues for him.  
Nabiki shook her head in anger. What was she thinking?   
She was supposed to be getting away from things like that, doing   
as Hitomi had suggested and concentrating on something other   
than business. Okay, Ranma: he doesn't seem too smart, but he   
was cute and Nabiki knew enough about martial arts to have a   
decent conversation with him. One date wouldn't be so bad,   
especially if he paid for it. If he turned out okay, then she could   
have other dates with him, and maybe a potential long-term   
boyfriend.  
The only problem was Nabiki had no idea how to go about   
it. She had a feeling that her cool facade would instantly crumble   
if she asked him out and he turned her down. She could think of   
no immediate way to get him to ask her, no positive way at least.   
Forcing him on a date wasn't an option.  
  
Kyoko was feeling a little worried for her boss at the   
moment. She had been acting a bit strange the past couple of days,   
but Nabiki did have the occasional mood swing. No one else   
noticed them, but Kyoko did. She was acting stranger than usual   
that morning though.  
Kyoko ran off a mental checklist on her boss. Staring out   
the window before class to watch the fights: normal. She was   
concentrating totally on the new kid fighting Kuno, rather than   
switching between the two fights, but she could be checking out   
the boy's style to know how to set the betting odds. Besides, no   
one really needed to watch Akane's fights any more to know how   
they end up.  
That was the pronounced change, the one that anyone could   
have noticed. Nabiki hadn't called for any bets. Her factors had   
taken care of it anyway, but for her to not even ask about it this far   
into the fight was unprecedented. Nabiki also seemed to be   
concentrating a little too much on the new student for Kyoko's   
liking.  
"Sempai," Kyoko called out to her, but Nabiki continued to   
stare and didn't respond.  
"Sempai?" Kyoko said again and tried tugging at her boss's   
arm to get her attention. She liked how her boss always preferred   
to wear silk blouses. Kyoko had started wearing them herself   
because of it.  
Nabiki's eyes seemed to snap into focus as she turned   
around to face her factor. "What is it, Kyoko?"  
Kyoko blinked a little in surprise. No 'Kyoko-chan?'   
Nabiki called everyone who worked for her '-chan', partly as a   
closeness thing and partly to show who was the boss. She called   
Kuno 'Kuno-chan' mostly as a private joke with her factors, since   
the bokken-wielding nutcase was practically working for her the   
way she made so much money off of him. Anyone who worked for   
her usually called her 'Nabiki-san', though he younger factors   
preferred 'sempai.' No one called her 'Nabiki-chan,' except her   
older sister, who was such a sweet person that she could get away   
with anything. Kyoko didn't think that even Nabiki's father called   
her '-chan.'  
"I thought that you'd like to know how the betting is going   
today, since the fights are almost over."  
Despite being a year younger than Nabiki and about half the   
staff, Kyoko had been recently chosen as the boss's chief assistant.   
Nabiki had said that it was due to Kyoko's scores in math, which   
were the highest in the school, and the fact that she was in the same   
class as the boss's younger sister, who she liked to keep an eye on,   
and not always as a source of revenue. Kyoko liked to think that   
there were other reasons as well.  
  
Nabiki took the clipboard her assistant had handed her and   
started going over the numbers, pushing all thoughts of dates and   
Ranma out of her mind. The betting on Akane vs. the idiots -- as   
Nabiki liked to call the boys who actually listened to Kuno -- had   
gone steadily down, even after they had changed it from 'who will   
win' to 'how fast will Akane pound the boys into the pavement.'   
Those fights just weren't exciting any more. The betting on Ranma   
vs. Kuno was up to even more than those of yesterday, making up   
for the loss on Akane's battle. Some people were still betting on   
Kuno, even when Ranma routinely beat him. Nabiki shook her   
head. Morons like that didn't deserve to get allowances.  
Nabiki handed back the clipboard with a smile. "Looks like   
my sister's fights aren't that popular any more. We'll have to make   
sure that the fights with Ranma keep coming."  
Kyoko was glad of the clipboard to hide her blush. He boss   
had such a nice smile. She wished that she had a smile like that.   
"Don't you mean Ranma's fights with Kuno?"  
Nabiki smirked. "I don't think we have to worry about   
Kuno-chan giving up. Once he sets he sights on something, he   
doesn't stop until he gets it. From what I've seen, it'll be cold day   
in hell when he beats Ranma. No, what I meant is other fights   
around Ranma. The other kids are interested in him and so will bet   
on just about anything that happens around him. Some boys hate   
him and will bet against him, others admire him and will bet on   
him. Most of the girls are interested in him, so they'll bet on him.   
The other girls, mostly my sister's friends, think he's a jerk and will   
bet against him."  
"Most of the girls are interested in him?" Kyoko repeated   
with some surprise. She had heard a few planning to ask him out,   
but that was it. She often wondered where her boss got her   
information, but had found that whatever the source it was rarely   
wrong.  
Nabiki nodded and gestured to the window where Ranma's   
fight with Kuno had just ended. "Look at all the girls that are   
flocking around him after the fight. Many girls ignored the fights   
before Ranma came, so this is good for us at least. You don't find   
him attractive, Kyoko-chan?"  
Kyoko looked out the window and studied Ranma for a   
time. She had already taken him in at a glance, but needed time to   
think of just how she should answer the question. She was on   
dangerous ground here, at least in her view. If she answered yes   
then she wouldn't be contradicting her boss, but it wouldn't be   
honest as Nabiki was forever telling her to be with her. If she said   
no it would be how she felt, but Nabiki might be curious to why,   
and that was something that Kyoko wasn't prepared to answer.  
"I don't find him attractive, sempai," Kyoko finally said,   
"but maybe he just isn't my type."  
Nabiki thought about it for a moment before nodded.  
"Do you . . . " Kyoko asked tentatively. "Do you find him   
attractive, sempai?"  
"Maybe," Nabiki answered almost immediately, "that's   
what I'm trying to figure out."  
  
Ranma wasn't surprised to find Akane watching him in   
class yet again. The school was buzzing with all sorts of rumors   
after his fight with Kuno. This time however, when she noticed   
that he was noticing her, she turned away not in anger, but what   
looked to be embarrassment.  
  
Ranma was shocked when someone joined him for lunch.   
For a while Akane only sat there next to him, bento unopened   
before her, staring out on the school yard. Though he could tell   
that she was trembling slightly, on her face was an expression of   
pure determination.  
She suddenly turned to face him and asked, "Why? Why   
did you do it?"  
"Do what?" He asked, confused. The most he had done to   
her all day was a few glances in her direction and those were   
because of how strangely she had been acting. Of course, Ranma   
was familiar to be accused of something that he hadn't done.   
Akane had already done that with once before.  
"Why did you make Kuno stop the morning fights?"  
"Like I said to you before, it wasn't right, you know? Guys   
trying to hit girls, they should've known better. I could understand   
if they were helping you train, but the whole 'got to beat you to date   
you' thing is just stupid. Besides, you didn't look too happy about   
it."  
"You mean, that you did it . . . for me?" Akane asked,   
blinking at him in utter astonishment. Ranma didn't think that she   
would have sounded more surprised if he had told her that his   
father was a panda.  
After a few minutes, Akane seemed to recover from her   
shock. Then she stood up, her eyes narrowed. "Just because you   
stopped the morning fights doesn't mean you get the right to date   
me now."  
Ranma looked at her, even more confused than before. He   
had enough trouble with the girls at school as it was. He didn't   
need to add to them. "I don't want to date you."  
Akane almost went back to the surprised look when her   
eyes narrowed again. "So I'm not good enough for you to date, am   
I?"  
"I didn't mean that!" Ranma had a feeling that he had just   
lost control of the conversation.  
"Well, what did you mean then? Just because you might be   
a better martial artist than me, doesn't mean that I'm beneath you or   
something."  
"You're jumping to conclusions! I don't want to date   
anyone!"  
"I see, so you don't think that anyone at this school is good   
enough for you, is that it?"  
Ranma just barely registered how Akane seemed to get   
angrier with everything she said. Her hands were clenched now   
and her face was getting progressively redder. He was getting a   
familiar tingling on the back of his neck that meant he was on   
dangerous ground. Things could get ugly quickly. Perhaps it was   
this danger sense that made him think before replying.  
Ranma took a deep breath and told her, "I don't think I'm   
superior than anyone else. I am good at martial arts, don't know   
many who are better, but then there isn't much else that I'm even   
half-decent at. I don't think that there is anything wrong with you   
or any of the others girls at school. I just don't have the time to go   
on dates now."  
Ranma watched all the anger drain out of Akane, a   
surprised look on her face once again. Ranma inwardly cheered.   
For once he had said the right thing and actually avoided a fight. It   
hardly seemed possible. All of those arguments that he had had   
with his sister were starting to pay off. Then why did he have the   
feeling that he had just caused more problems than he had solved?  
When Akane noticed that Ranma was looking right at her,   
she seemed to find her shoes much more interesting to watch.   
"Oh," was all she said in reply to Ranma's speech, before she   
turned and walked away.  
Ranma sighed when he realized that there was only a   
minute left to eat his lunch.  
  
When Kasumi heard the door close softly, she thought that   
Nabiki had come home early for some reason, since Akane always   
slammed the door shut. Her little sister was so energetic. It was a   
good thing that she had taken up martial arts to burn off that excess   
energy or the house might suffer, at least more than it already did.   
Kasumi didn't mind the work, but repairing the house was   
expensive on their limited budget.  
So Kasumi was surprised to see Akane slowly walking up   
the stairs, her eyes unfocused and staring at the ceiling. On her   
face was an expression of utter confusion. It was an expression   
Kasumi was used to seeing on Akane, but it usually lasted only a   
few moments. Her sister was a quick thinker, though she   
sometimes made the wrong assumptions.  
"Akane, is something the matter?" Kasumi called out to   
her. "Did something happen at school?"  
Akane was so startled that she nearly fell down the stairs.  
  
Akane stared at the floor and struggled with what to say as   
Kasumi started on the laundry. It was all so confusing in her own   
mind that it was difficult to put into words.  
"Kasumi, have you ever met someone that you didn't know   
what to think of?"  
Kasumi frowned slightly as she turned away from the   
laundry. "I'm not sure what you mean, Akane."  
Akane growled a little in frustration. She wasn't sure what   
she meant either, but if she didn't tell someone about this it would   
drive her crazy. And her friends at school might jump to the wrong   
conclusions, which would only make things worse.  
"Okay, let's say when you first met this person you thought   
that... they were a real jerk, but after a while you're not sure if   
they're such a jerk after all. In fact, they might be kind of... nice,   
but you're not sure. All of your instincts are saying not to trust...   
this person, but they've done nothing bad so far. In fact, they even   
helped you out when they didn't have to. So this person might turn   
out to be not so bad after all, except you're afraid that if you aren't   
on guard around them and treat them nice that they'll... turn out to   
be a real jerk all along and were only pretending to be nice."  
Akane wrung her hands together in anger. "Am I making   
any sense?"  
Kasumi smiled and gave Akane a comforting pat on the   
shoulder. "I think you're making a lot of sense. It sounds like you   
met a boy at school who was nice to you and you're not sure if it's   
some sort of trick or not."  
"I didn't say it was a boy."  
"You didn't have to. You've told me about some of your   
problems with the boys at school. I said before that we should   
explain to father and have him take care of it, but you wouldn't   
hear of it."  
Akane frowned. Kasumi just wouldn't understand what it   
would do to her reputation as a martial artist if her father had to   
step in for her. There were enough people that wouldn't take her   
seriously because she was a woman. If it looked like she needed   
her father to fight her battles for her, then no one would respect   
her.  
"That doesn't matter now, this... boy I'm talking about got   
Kuno to stop the fights, even though I tried to fight him on the first   
day of school."  
"Oh?" Kasumi said, feeling the slightest bit worried. The   
story was beginning to sound familiar.  
"At first I thought he was there to fight me like the others,   
and when he refused to hit back I thought that he was just trying to   
humiliate me. I guess he didn't mean any harm. Then he ended the   
fights. I tried to find out why he did it, why a boy would help me,   
and I just ended up shouting at him." Akane hung her head in   
shame.  
Kasumi put a comforting arm around her little sister. "It   
sounds like you should apologize to him, then."  
"Yeah!" Akane said with sudden enthusiasm. "I could even   
bake him some cookies to make up for the way I acted!"  
Kasumi was a bit startled. *If he eats one of Akane's   
cookies, he'll think she really dislikes him.* "Why don't you just   
stick to saying you're sorry? If you give him cookies, people might   
get ideas about the two of you."  
"You're right, Kasumi. Thank you," Akane said as she   
stood and made for the dojo. "I think I'll get some practice in   
now."  
"Oh, Akane?" Kasumi called her back with a trace of   
nervousness in her voice.  
"Yes, Kasumi?"  
"What's the name of this boy?"  
Akane thought for a moment, remembering back to when   
he was introduced to her class. "Ranma, Ranma Saotome."  
Kasumi sighed as Akane left. The last thing she wanted   
was her cute and popular sister to get close to Ranma, but she   
couldn't jeopardize Akane's first friendship with a boy her age.   
Kasumi just hoped that it wouldn't go further than friends.  
  
Sometime later, Nabiki came home in high spirits.   
Ranma's latest fight with Kuno had made the day a profitable one,   
and there was also Hitomi's reply waiting for her. It definitely   
would be nice to do something that didn't have to do with her   
business for once.  
Nabiki's first reaction to Hitomi's suggestion was to cringe.   
She liked being in control and a blind date meant that she didn't   
even have control over who she was going out with. What if he   
was ugly, boring, or a real jerk? Nabiki could find ways of making   
his life hell, but she wouldn't really enjoy it. She wanted to find a   
way to relax. It didn't make her feel any more secure when she   
read that this brother had never been on a real date either. Hitomi   
was trying to put it in the best light, but it was clear that Nabiki's   
student had some way to go yet in the art of persuasion.  
She read on in the message and suddenly her eyes opened   
very wide. Hitomi said her brother's name was Ranma. Nabiki   
just remembered that her student's last name was Saotome. Now it   
could have been a big coincidence since Hitomi didn't mention the   
fact that he went to Furinkan high, but Nabiki had never had much   
belief in coincidence. Besides, she vaguely remembered meeting   
Hitomi's older brother when she first took her on as a student. That   
was why Ranma had seemed so familiar.  
Hitomi was trying to set her up on a date with the person   
she herself was considering asking. She thought a while before   
replying. She didn't want to seem too eager.  
  
Ranma was in his room doing his homework. Actually, he   
was staring at his homework while his thoughts were mostly   
involved Akane and the way she had acted around him. Ranma   
had experience with some strange people, male and female, but he   
just couldn't figure Akane out.  
"Oh, big brother!" Hitomi called from the doorway,   
startling Ranma out of his thoughts.  
"Why don't you ever knock?" Ranma scolded to cover his   
embarrassment at day-dreaming.  
Hitomi smiled. "But why? There's no way I could hope to   
sneak up a master martial artist like my big brother Ranma."  
Ranma frowned at her sarcastic tone. "Is there something   
you want, Hitomi?"  
Hitomi began to wander about his room, looking over his   
collection of books on various martial art forms, stacked next to his   
set of karate movies. They were mixed in with a small collection   
of cookbooks and a few movies that didn't involving fighting every   
five minutes.  
Most of the latter were adult movies that their mother had   
bought for him in yet another way to enhance his manliness.   
Hitomi didn't know what was on those tapes, only that Ranma   
remained beet red for about an hour after watching one.  
"Oh, I was just seeing what you were doing, that's all."  
"My homework."  
Hitomi stopped at his desk and carefully studied the blank   
notebook page. "Having some trouble?"  
Ranma nodded absently. He knew he could do it if he was   
just able to focus, which he was unfortunately unable to do at the   
moment. The real problem was it was due tomorrow and he didn't   
think the teacher would take his lack of focus as an excuse. She   
was already on his case for falling asleep during her lesson.  
"I could help you --"  
"-- for a fee," Ranma completed, knowing how his sister   
operated.  
Hitomi nodded.  
Ranma fished around his wallet, to find it depressingly   
lacking in yen, certainly not enough to pay for his sister's help. *I   
knew I should have gotten those pork buns on the way home, but I   
was so hungry.*  
Ranma noticed that Hitomi was twirling a lock of her hair,   
and suddenly became very nervous. He knew that she only did that   
when she had a scheme, one which usually involved him in a way   
he wouldn't like.  
"Already spent your allowance?" Hitomi asked with a grin.   
"I have a deal for you. I'll do all your homework for today and all   
of next week besides, if you do me a small favor."  
"How small?" Ranma asked, his eyes narrowed   
suspiciously.  
"You might even like this," Hitomi told him as she plunked   
herself down on his bed. "But since I'm in a bit of a bind, I'll do   
your homework anyway. It's been almost exactly one year since I   
began studying 'practical economics' under my sensei, and I was   
going to take her out on a little celebration. I planned out the   
whole night, along with getting dinner reservations at a fancy   
restaurant, but unfortunately some things have come up at school   
that will keep me busy on that night."  
"What does that have to do with me?"  
"Well, most of the activities could be postponed for another   
time, but the dinner reservations were very hard to get and I can't   
let them go to waste. I also can't have my sensei eating alone, so I   
thought that you could take her."  
"What? No way!"  
"Why not? All I'm asking you to do is walk and eat, two   
tasks you excel at already."  
"Your 'sensei' isn't much older than me, right?"  
Hitomi thought for a moment. "She's about a year older,   
why?"  
"So if I go to this fancy restaurant with her, won't that look   
like a date?"  
Hitomi rolled her eyes. Her voice was filled with sarcasm.   
"I don't see how anyone could make that mistake. Two teenagers   
going to a fancy restaurant together and all."  
"You're trying to get me to date your sensei!" Ranma   
accused.  
"You _are_ a sharp one, brother dear."  
Ranma couldn't believe his little sister was trying to set him   
up. He had enough problems with their mother doing that. "But   
you know the kind of problems this sort of thing has gotten me into   
in the past."  
"But this situation is different," Hitomi told him, counting   
off the reasons on her fingers. "Point one, she's not a martial artist.   
Point two, neither of our parents know her or her family. And   
point three, you will definitely get in trouble unless your   
homework is done."  
Ranma sighed. "You're not going to give up until I say yes,   
are you?"  
Hitomi gave her brother a big grin. "Nope."  
"All right, I'll do it."  
"Yatta!"  
"But on one condition, you have to pay for all of it; the   
meal, the fancy clothes, and whatever other costs there are."  
Hitomi frowned over that. Her brother had become   
shrewder because of their dealings. She wondered if she should   
charge him for lessons. "Okay, I'll accept your condition if you   
accept two of mine."  
"What are they?"  
"First, you have to show my sensei a good time. You can't   
just stuff you face at dinner and leave her or anything --"  
"Hey, I'm not pops!"  
"--Second, absolutely no fighting!"  
"What? Why!?"  
"You can't entertain my sensei if you're picking fights with   
everyone you meet."  
"But what if someone just attacks me for no reason? That   
happens, you know."  
"Then practice the Saotome Secret Technique, but make   
sure you take my sensei with you."  
  
Kuno sat in his room in meditation, pondering. It was   
something that he was used to doing, staring at his life-size poster   
of Akane, wondering when she would finally overcome her   
shyness and declare her love for him. But for once, his thoughts   
were not focused on his one and only true love.  
He had lost. No matter how hard he tried, he could neither   
deny nor escape that thought. It came at him relentlessly, a   
mocking voice which strangely echoed that of his father. He was   
the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, undefeated captain of the   
school's kendo team. The only person who could hold a candle to   
his skills, and so the only woman worthy of his love, was Akane   
Tendo. Even against she, he knew himself to be superior, always   
holding back in their fights for fear of harming her lovely visage.   
Hard, fierce eyes contrasted with long, soft black hair...  
Kuno violently shook his head and reluctantly turned his   
back on the poster of his lady love, having to make do with several   
smaller pictures of her. No, his love for her was proving to be a   
distraction; a welcome one, but a distraction nevertheless. He had   
to go back to the root of his problem. Now what was it again?  
Ah yes, the bitter taste of defeat that still lingered in his   
mouth. Or was that an aftertaste of his sister's latest experiment?   
Either way, he had lost. Not once, not twice, but five times, each   
defeat more humiliating than the last. At first, he had reasoned that   
there had to be some sort of trickery afoot, that his opponent was   
beguiling him with some dark art. For was his kendo form not   
perfect? Would not even the ancient masters of the blade be   
astounded at his prowess? He was sure of this.  
But his final battle with this fiend had proved him wrong.   
For no matter how he played over the fight in his mind, he could   
find no element of trickery in his opponent's actions. He had   
played over every single movement at least a dozen times to only   
reach one inescapable conclusion, Ranma Saotome was skilled,   
more skilled than he.  
"Sasuke!" Kuno called out suddenly.  
The Akane poster seemed to roll up by itself and behind   
stood a short ninja, dressed in his traditional garb. "You   
summoned me, master?"  
"Yes, I want you to find out all you can about Ranma   
Saotome and his family, especially pertaining to martial arts."  
The diminutive ninja nodded. "As you wish, master Kuno."   
And the poster rolled back down.  
Saotome was more skilled. Kuno had to repeat the thought   
several times to get used to it. It did not sit well with him. It was   
something he wished that he could ignore or make go away, but he   
could not escape the conclusion of his excellent logic.  
Saotome was more skilled, but in what way? Certainly not   
in kendo. It was impossible to improve on perfection. But his   
opponent hadn't used kendo at all. That was a puzzle to Kuno.   
Kendo was the greatest form of martial arts ever conceived and he   
was the undisputed master of it, yet someone who probably did not   
even know the correct way to hold a bokken had defeated him.   
How could this be?  
It was not through magic or any other form of trickery. He   
had already ruled those out. The boy had been quite clear that he   
had been fighting honestly and Kuno could find no flaw in the   
honor of his opponent. That Ranma was fighting only to convince   
Kuno of the rightness of protecting the fair Akane rather than   
combating her did much to increase the young Saotome in   
Tatewaki's estimation. Kuno felt a small swell of pride when he   
realized that it was their earlier fights that had set the previously   
misguided boy upon the correct path.  
Kuno was starting to see the situation quite clearly. The   
four earlier fights had just been his way of steering his opponent   
back to the ways of Bushido. That was why, subconsciously, Kuno   
had never gone all out against him. For was it not worth tasting   
bitter defeat if he could bring a fallen samurai back into the light?   
And in their final fight, he must have subconsciously realized that   
Ranma had finally returned to the true path and they had fought   
with all they had, like true warriors.  
Kuno wiped away a small tear from his eye. It was quite a   
surprise to him to find that he was more noble and kind than he had   
previously thought. And Ranma had even seen Kuno's true   
purpose when he himself could not, being blinded by the love that   
overwhelmed his heart! His opponent, no his comrade, had guided   
him back upon the path before he could have the chance to stray.   
Kuno wept at the beauty of the act: the loyal student returning his   
debt to his teacher in such a way.  
Kuno realized that he had been meant to lose. For once,   
righteousness had been on the side of his opponent. Could that be   
it? Blinded by his love, following an unjust cause, that he, despite   
all of his skill, had been destined to fail?  
Now Kuno felt shame at his previous blindness. No   
wonder his love had raged against him, she must have felt confused   
by his actions. How could he have spoken of their love in one   
breath and challenged her to combat in the next? To prove his own   
prowess to her? But that was self-evident, he was the undisputed   
master of the blade. To prove hers? He already knew in his heart   
of the fire that ran in her veins. Her fierceness was for all to see in   
every movement and every gesture.  
"Oh, what a fool I've been," Kuno shouted to the heavens.   
"A poor, blind fool. To accuse an honorable man of blinding me   
with magics when I had already blinded myself. I have made   
myself unworthy of being a samurai, of the name Kuno, and worse   
of all, unworthy of the love of Akane Tendo."  
Kuno hung his head in shame for several moments, but then   
sprang up when an idea entered his mind, an idea that he pounced   
upon like a tiger. What if he could make up for all of his past   
deeds somehow, redeem his honor, and once again become worthy   
of Akane's love? And Ranma had already shown him the way! He   
had ordered him to be the protector of Akane Tendo for losing their   
melee. Was this not the perfect solution? Could he have made any   
better suggestion? Ranma Saotome was truly a worthy ally, surely   
samurai blood flowed in his veins as it did in Kuno's.  
He would protect Akane from every harm, visible and   
invisible, treating her as the most delicate flower. Thereby   
showing that he was no longer blind and, at the same time, his   
depth of devotion to her!  



	4. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ranma 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
The next day at Furinkan High, most of the boys had   
gathered in the center of the school yard, armed with sports   
paraphernalia. They all looked toward the school gate in   
anticipation. At another school this may have been an odd sight,   
but at Furinkan it was fairly routine.  
What had changed was just who they were waiting for.   
Kuno had made it quite clear to them yesterday afternoon that all   
attacks against Akane must cease immediately. If they persisted,   
the 'punishment of the heavens would befall them.' None of the   
boys were exactly sure what this meant, but neither were they   
willing to challenge the Blue Thunder.  
  
Chapter 3: Three Things to do with a Girl  
  
Kuno was there too, armed with bokken and rose, as   
expected. What as not expected was his expression. Usually it   
was one of anticipation to see his fierce tigress in battle, soundly   
rounding on her foes, as he awaited the day when she would   
overcome her shyness and freely accept his love. Today however,   
his expression was that of anger mixed with disdain, directed at the   
waiting mob. His grip on his bokken was so tight that it was   
starting to warp the wood. People made way as he strode over to   
them. Akane and Ranma had soundly beaten him on several   
occasions, but then they were the only ones who could. Anyone   
else who faced the kendoist would be in much rougher shape,   
especially when his anger was roused, as it obviously was at the   
moment.  
"What is the meaning of this?!" he shouted at the gathered   
boys. "Did I not say that anyone who now wished to face Akane   
Tendo would have to face me first? Do you dare challenge the   
words of the Blue Thunder?"  
"No, no," one of the boys told him. "You've got it all   
wrong. We're waiting here to beat up Ranma."  
Now that was entirely a different matter to the kendoist.   
"Very well, on the eve that he is laid low, the man who defeats him   
will be allowed to date Akane Tendo. So says the Blue Thunder of   
Furinkan High!" Kuno knew, of course, that only he could defeat   
Ranma Saotome, so there was no danger. Besides, it would give   
Kuno ample opportunity to study Saotome in action.  
Kuno stabbed the air with his bokken while the boys   
cheered. In their celebration, they had seemed to forgotten that   
Ranma had easily beaten them on his first day at school and Akane   
was never likely to listen to who Kuno said she could and couldn't   
date.  
Akane shrugged when the gathered boys didn't rush out to   
attack her. It might be nice to be early to class for once.  
Ranma was considerably less pleased when the mob rushed   
out to attack him. However, none of them were really skilled and   
it wasn't long before all of them had been defeated. Seeing a   
familiar kendoist approach, Ranma asked, "Haven't you had   
enough yet, Kuno?"  
The kendoist waved the accusation away. "I'm not here to   
fight you, Saotome."  
Ranma nearly fell over in surprise. He hadn't expected   
Kuno to give up so easily. Ranma had some experience with   
persistent rivals in the past and had guessed Kuno to be the type   
that never gave up no matter how many times he was defeated.   
"You're not?"  
"While to do battle with an opponent such as yourself   
would be a noble exercise, I must regretfully admit that it is one   
that I would have little chance of winning."  
"Huh?" Ranma said, puzzled, and unknowingly echoing the   
thoughts of everyone who observed this event. Kuno was actually   
admitting that someone was better than him? That had to be one of   
the signs of the apocalypse.  
"What is worse is that in knowing I am no longer the   
greatest martial artist in the world, I must also acknowledge the   
small possibility that there may be others whose skill is slightly   
greater than my own. Were it just for myself, I could accept this   
humbling revelation, but if my skill is no longer the best, how can I   
hope to protect my true love Akane Tendo from the evils of the   
world?"  
While Ranma struggled through the speech to come up with   
some sort of answer, Kuno suddenly grabbed him by the shoulders.   
Normally, Ranma would have thrown his grip off, but there was   
something in the upperclassman's eyes that stopped him. They   
were wide, almost panicked, and held the unshed tears of some   
complex suffering. Whatever Kuno was going on about, he had   
worked himself into a frenzy over it.  
"You must aid me in my cause. As a fellow samurai, it is   
your duty!"  
Ranma decided not to question being called a samurai and   
got right to the point. "What do you want, exactly?"  
"Long have I thought that I was the perfect master of the   
most perfect art, but you have made me painfully aware that there   
is some slight flaw in my technique, some hidden fault that I am   
blind to. You must show me what it is!"  
"Well, for starters kendo isn't the--"  
Kuno took what Ranma said as consent. "Very well, we   
shall begin before school tomorrow."  
"Begin what?"  
"Our training sessions. Where you will help me correct the   
small flaw in my technique and I in turn will instruct you on the   
finer points of kendo. So that we both might better defend Akane   
Tendo from harm!"  
"Look, I don't want to learn--"  
That's when bell rang.  
Kuno held his bokken high in the air. "Now that that is   
settled, off to class!"  
Ranma sighed and followed. Like he didn't have enough to   
worry about already.  
  
At the same time, Kyoko sighed, but in relief. "That was a   
close one, sempai. I thought for a minute there that Kuno was   
going to swear off all fighting. Even charging him double for his   
pictures of Akane wouldn't have made up for the loss of the betting   
pool."  
Kyoko frowned when Nabiki didn't respond. Her frown   
deepened when she realized the reason she didn't answer was   
because she was looking out the window, staring at Ranma.  
"Sempai?"  
"I think I'll wear the red dress tonight. I haven't worn it   
since I got it in lieu of a loan payment," Nabiki said, still staring   
out the window, though Ranma had already gone in inside.  
"Huh? What did you say?"  
Nabiki turned around with a smile on her lips and twinkle   
in her eye that made Kyoko momentarily forget what she had been   
thinking about.  
"I don't think the other factors need to know, but I can trust   
you. Can't I, Kyoko-chan?"  
Kyoko nodded immediately.  
Nabiki's smile widened a bit. "I have a date tonight."  
Kyoko blinked as her warm feeling vanished, only to be   
replaced by something heavy in the pit of her stomach. "With   
Ranma?" she guessed.  
Nabiki nodded. "It came as quite a surprise to me. He's the   
brother of a friend of mine. She set the whole thing up."  
"I don't know about this, sempai," Kyoko said cautiously,   
being careful not to give offense. "I don't think he's the right sort   
of person for you."  
"Maybe not, but then I never know until I try, do I? I'm not   
looking to marry the guy, Kyoko-chan. All I want is a nice meal at   
a fancy restaurant. One good night without anything related to   
business, but it would be nice to have a boyfriend. Don't you think   
so, Kyoko-chan?"  
Kyoko frowned. "I'm starting to think your sister is right.   
All men are jerks."  
Nabiki laughed and patted her factor on the shoulder.   
"Don't give up hope yet. You'll find the right guy for you some   
day, Kyoko-chan."  
After Nabiki had walked away, Kyoko mumbled to herself,   
"I doubt it."  
  
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" Akane asked Ranma   
nervously.  
Ranma wondered why she was asking now, when she just   
sat down next to him yesterday. Remembering her near explosion,   
he decided not to bring this up. "Sure, go ahead."  
Akane nodded and sat down. She took out her lunch and   
slowly started on it without a word. Ranma decided to do the   
same. They ate for a few minutes in silence, before Akane stopped   
and sat still, looking out on the school yard. She wore the same   
look she had had before she first spoke to him yesterday. Ranma   
decided to stop eating himself, curious as to what was about to   
happen, though he did hope that he'd still have enough time to   
finish his lunch this time.  
"Gomen nasai," Akane whispered so softly that Ranma   
wasn't even sure that he had heard it.  
"Huh?"  
"I'm sorry, for the way I treated you yesterday and the day   
before. I treated you badly, even though you hadn't done anything   
to deserve it. Gomen."  
Ranma wasn't sure on how to take this. None of his rivals   
had ever apologized to him before, and even though Akane wasn't   
technically a rival, it was still an experience that he wasn't used to.   
He was more used to being the one doing the apologizing rather   
than receiving it.  
"It's okay," he told her.  
For a while the sat in silence, until Ranma finally said,   
"Um, can I finish my lunch now?"  
Akane laughed suddenly, so hard that tears came to her   
eyes. "Sure, sure," she said with a chuckle once she had caught her   
breath. "Go right ahead."  
Ranma shook his head as he started on his lunch again.   
Akane was still laughing. He would never understand women.   
Never.  
  
Ranma was only a little surprised to find his sister waiting   
for him in his room after his second training session and bath of the   
day. She had laid out a black tux on his bed, next to a white   
carnation in a small plastic box. Ranma looked over the items with   
a touch of fear, dating and danger had become synonyms in his   
mind.  
"Our parents don't know about any of this, do they?"   
Ranma asked, worried that this could get worse than it already was.  
"Don't worry, I have everything covered. They don't have a   
clue that you're going out on a date."  
Ranma flinched at the word 'date.' "Good," he replied, but   
seemed to lack all conviction.  
"I really appreciate you doing this, big brother," Hitomi told   
him with a small smile as she tugged at his arm, bringing him   
closer to the bed.  
"It's not like you left me any choice."  
Hitomi rolled her eyes. "We both know there's no way I   
could force you to do this if you really didn't want to. Stop being   
so stubborn."  
Ranma crossed his arms, and tried to pout, but it came out   
as more of a half-smile. "I am not stubborn."  
"Yes you are, admit it."  
"No, I won't, and you can't make me," Ranma replied,   
sticking out his tongue for emphasis.  
"Really?" Hitomi asked, grinning, as she inched closer to   
him.  
"Really."  
In a flash, Hitomi had somehow knocked Ranma to the   
floor and was tickling him for all she was worth. "Come on, admit   
you're stubborn!"  
"No!" Ranma shouted at first, between bouts of laughter.   
Before long, it was too much for him, and nearly out of breath, he   
said, "All right, I give. I'm stubborn."  
Smirking, Hitomi halted her attack and replied, "You're not   
that stubborn. Now get into the tux, I want to see how it fits."  
  
Dressed in his tux and white carnation in hand, even   
Hitomi had to admit that her brother made a handsome sight. Not   
that she would actually tell him that, however. No reason to add to   
his already huge ego.  
"Okay, let's go over what I told you one more time," she   
told him.  
"What? Again?" Ranma whined.  
"Are you being stubborn?" Hitomi asked, twitching her   
fingers meaningfully.  
Ranma backed away in mock-fear, which was spoiled by   
his grin. "Me? No, never."  
"All right. Now where are you meeting my sensei?"  
"Under the lamppost near the entrance to the park."  
"And what will she look like?"  
"A woman with short, brown hair, wearing a red dress, and   
answers to the name of Nabiki."  
"Don't describe my sensei like that!" Hitomi shouted,   
outraged. "She's not a dog!"  
"She better not be," Ranma muttered mostly to himself.  
His sister frowned. "I told you before that my sensei is   
beautiful. Unfortunately, I sold the few pictures I had of her.   
Now, what do you do when you meet her?"  
"I introduce myself and give her the carnation."  
Hitomi nodded. "And after that?"  
"We go to the restaurant."  
"No, you just don't 'go to the restaurant.' You take her arm   
and escort her to the restaurant!"  
Ranma nodded absently. "Right, right. I've got it."  
Hitomi took a breath and decided to let it pass. "And you   
will remember to eat like a normal human being there and not like   
a vacuum cleaner like you normally do. Also, don't ignore my   
sensei while you're eating, and don't order everything on the menu.   
That place is expensive, you know."  
"Geez, I got it already. Quit nagging me," Ranma replied in   
irritation.  
Hitomi suddenly hugged Ranma, burying her face in his   
neck. "I'm sorry, big brother. My sensei really means a lot to me,   
so I want this night to be perfect."  
Ranma smiled and patted his little sister on the head. "I   
know, I understand. I'll try and do my best to make it a night to   
remember."  
"With you around, bro, that's sure to happen," Hitomi   
replied with a smirk. "Just go easy on the tux, okay? If you wreck   
it, you're the one who's paying for it."  
  
Nabiki rushed into Kasumi's room. She would have to get   
ready in a hurry to be at the meeting place on time. Other girls   
might plan on being fashionably late, but Nabiki liked to be   
punctual for everything. She could have had Ranma pick her at   
home, but decided that would be a bad idea with Akane under the   
same roof. Nabiki didn't know how her little sister would react,   
but it would certainly ruin the date.  
"Can I borrow your gold earrings, sis?"  
Sitting at her desk, brushing out her hair, Kasumi spun   
around to see her sister in a somewhat daring red dress. It wasn't   
too revealing, but it was still something she wouldn't have been   
able to wear. "Oh my, Nabiki. Are you going out on a date?"  
Nabiki blushed faintly. "Yes, but I don't want dad to know   
or he'll make a big fuss. So keep it to yourself, okay?"  
"All right, I understand." Kasumi smiled and began to   
search for the earrings. "Is it someone you met at school?"  
Nabiki chuckled a little at that. They went to the same   
school, but they had yet to actually meet there. "No, he's the older   
brother of this girl I've been helping out. She set it all up."  
"You seem awfully eager for a blind date," Kasumi noted.  
"Well, we met before, briefly, but I doubt he remembers   
me."  
Kasumi handed her Nabiki the earrings. "Have a nice   
time."  
Nabiki grinned. "I hope I will. Thanks, sis."  
  
Ranma was very uncomfortable waiting under a street   
lamp. The rental tux would more constricting than the clothes he   
was used to wearing, though the white carnation smelled nice. His   
pledge of not fighting that night felt like having one hand tied   
behind his back. It also made him doubly cautious and there were   
just too many hiding places that a sneak attack could come from.   
There was also the fact that Hitomi was going to make him pay for   
the tux if it got ruined, and he didn't like the idea of having to give   
up his allowance for a year.  
Ranma was concentrating on so many things at once that   
the girl seemed to appear before him like magic. She was in a red   
dress and had short, dark hair, so he guessed this was the person he   
was waiting for.  
"Nabiki, right?"  
Nabiki nodded. "Ranma Saotome, I presume."  
"Yeah, that's me. This is for you," he told her, handing her   
the carnation.  
"Thank you," Nabiki replied as she pinned the flower to her   
dress. "It smells nice."  
"Yeah," he replied a bit nervously. Then he studied her   
face closely for a minute. "Hey, haven't I seen you someplace   
before?"  
Nabiki smirked. "You must say that to all the girls,   
Saotome."  
"It's not that. I swear I've seen you before, and I'm pretty   
good with faces. It's names I have a hard time remembering."  
Nabiki was actually flattered for Ranma to have noticed her   
when she had stayed a distance from him so far. "Well, we do go   
to the same school. You've made quite the impression for a new   
student. I'm surprised you've noticed me, though, since I'm a year   
ahead of you."  
"Hey, I didn't mean to make such a fuss, stuff like that just   
happens to me," Ranma responded defensively. "Probably noticed   
you because you're distinctive."  
"Distinctive?" Nabiki asked, making it clear that she didn't   
know whether to take this as a compliment or an insult.  
Ranma studied her face again, trying to figure out for   
himself what he meant. "I don't know, maybe it's your hair or   
something. Most girls wear their hair long."  
Nabiki reached up to touch one of her locks. "And how do   
you feel about girls having short hair?"  
Ranma was feeling a bit uncomfortable under her scrutiny.   
His instincts, sharpened from his recent vigil, were telling him that   
the wrong answer could lead to disaster, and he knew how   
important this date was to his sister.  
"I don't know, it's just hair I mean, no big deal. Easier to   
fight with shorter hair..."  
Ranma saw Nabiki start to frown at his rambling, so he   
blurted out, "I like it, it looks good on you!"  
"How does it look good?" Nabiki pushed.  
"It makes you look older, more mature." Feeling that he   
was on shaky ground, Ranma quickly changed the subject. "Can   
we go to the restaurant now? We don't want to be late for our   
reservations."  
"All right."  
Ranma turned to go, but noticed that Nabiki hadn't budged   
from her spot. "Is something wrong?"  
"Aren't you forgetting something?"  
Ranma did a quick mental checklist. Suit, check. Money,   
check. Hitomi's sensei, check. Everything was accounted for.   
"What?"  
"It's only proper to take the arm of a lady when escorting   
her to dinner."  
Seeing Ranma's confused face, Nabiki released a small sigh   
of frustration and put her arm through his. "See? Like this."  
"Oh, okay," Ranma said as the began towards the   
restaurant, Nabiki now at his side. "Sorry."  
"Don't worry about it, Ranma," Nabiki told him, but inside   
she found her high hopes for this date had sunk.  
  
Ranma sighed in relief when they had finally reached the   
restaurant. The short trip there had been a little tense for him. He   
totally forgot to worry about sneak attacks, since there were more   
pressing issues, namely Nabiki pressing against his side. That   
wasn't as big a problem as the fact that whenever he looked over at   
her, he ended up looking right down her dress. That brought on   
painful associations of woman throwing buckets and bars of soap,   
from when his mother had pretended he was a girl and snuck him   
into the women's side of the public onsen.  
Nabiki, leaning on his arm, could feel Ranma's tension, and   
couldn't help wondering about the cause of it. Hitomi had told her   
that he hadn't really been on a date before, but he still shouldn't be   
this nervous, especially after the fact that he faced down her sister   
so easily. Nabiki was somewhat used to people feeling uneasy   
around her, but that was only after they had found out about her   
reputation in business.  
They were greeted at the door of the restaurant by an   
elderly man in a formal kimono. He smiled warmly to the both of   
them and said, "Welcome to the Jade Blossom. May I help you?"  
After a minute or so, Ranma realized that Nabiki wasn't   
going to say anything, so he gathered his thoughts and told the   
man, "Yes, we have a reservation."  
"Of course," the man replied, nodding. "And what name   
would that reservation be listed under?"  
Ranma blinked in surprise and admitted, "My sister didn't   
tell me that."  
The old man said nothing, though his eyes seemed to ask a   
question. Nabiki explained with a small chuckle, "His sister   
helped us get the reservations. Try looking under Saotome or   
Tendo."  
The man nodded and studied the book before him. "Ah,   
yes, here it is. Saotome, party of two." Grabbing two menus, the   
man nodded to Nabiki and Ranma. "Right this way please."  
The old man deftly lead them through a dimly-lit restaurant   
to a small table for two by the bank of high windows that looked   
out onto the park below.  
As Nabiki started to sit down, something seemed to click in   
Ranma's mind. He rushed over to her side of the table and held her   
chair out for her.  
"Thank you, Ranma," she told him with a smile.  
Ranma grinned as he took his own seat, happy to have   
finally gotten something right. Perhaps some of his mother's   
suggestions weren't quite so useless after all.  
The old man handed them each a menu. "A waitress will   
be by shortly to take your orders. Please enjoy you meal."  
Ranma and Nabiki thanked him, which he accepted with a   
bow, and then left the two of them alone, with the light of candles   
as their only source of illumination.  
  
Not far from their table, Kyoko frowned. She had used the   
skills Nabiki had taught her to track down the restaurant they   
would be going to, but she still couldn't get a reservation. The best   
she could do was convince one of the waitresses to call in sick and   
get a job as a temp for the night. She was lucky that Nabiki and   
Ranma weren't at one of her tables. She didn't know how she   
could explain this to her boss, who was certain to be suspicious   
that her factor had just started work on the same night Nabiki had a   
date.  
And her boss looked way too content for Kyoko's liking.   
She would have thought that Nabiki would be immune to this jerk's   
charm, but it seemed that even she had a weakness or two. Kyoko   
knew it was her duty to save her from Ranma. There was no way   
he was good enough for her.  
"Kyoko, go wait on table 16!"  
"Hai!" she replied immediately, trying to sound cheerful,   
though frowning at the same time. Unfortunately, the job was   
keeping her too busy for her to do anything. She'd have to be   
clever and find a way to expose what sort of man Ranma really   
was. But how to do it?  
  
For a while, Ranma and Nabiki simply studied the menus in   
silence. It hadn't taken the pig-tailed boy long to find what he   
wanted to order though, so he began to get impatient. He tried to   
keep himself focused on the menu, to decide which dishes he   
might like to try and prepare himself sometime, but he just couldn't   
do it.  
Ranma had never been on a date before, but this was not   
because no one had ever asked him out. His mother alone had tried   
to set him up with a girl almost once a month since he turned six,   
though she seemed to have stopped recently for some reason. And   
being the good son that Ranma at least sometimes tried to be, he'd   
go out with these girls, if only to make his mother happy.  
Originally, the problem was with the 'advice' his mother   
had given him. Following his mother's instructions on how to be   
manly had given Ranma his share of bumps and bruises in the past,   
not to mention ending any date before it had gotten started. He   
slowly learned that it wasn't such a great idea to follow his mother's   
advice, and promptly began ignoring it.  
Sometimes the problem was with the girl herself. His mom   
had some strange ideas to who would be her son's perfect mate.   
They tended to be a little too... aggressive for Ranma, who was   
uncomfortable enough around girls to begin with. His mother   
seemed to think that the more assertive the girl, the more   
opportunities Ranma would have to be manly with her. Worst of   
all had been that one who acted all sweet and demure when they   
first met, but turned out to be an amateur dominatrix. Ranma   
hadn't even known what S&M was at the time, but he did know   
that any woman wielding a whip was bad news.  
Much more often though, it had nothing to do with the date   
itself. Like one time he'd actually asked a nice, normal girl out to   
the movies, after his mother's constant prompting. Ranma had   
accidentally ran into this guy, who bumped his head and suddenly   
thought he was Jackie Chan. And naturally Ranma was his enemy.   
Having random things thrown at you was more annoying than   
dangerous, but it did kill the date before it had gotten started.  
They had made it to the restaurant okay. They were sitting   
down, awaiting the waitress as they studied their menus.   
Everything had gone fine. Which made Ranma more tense than   
anything else. He knew that it was only a matter of time before   
everything came crashing down on him, and the longer it took, the   
worse it would be.  
  
"Is something wrong, Ranma?" Nabiki asked him.  
Ranma's eyes suddenly snapped up to see Nabiki staring at   
him. "No, nothing," he said nervously. "Why do you ask?"  
"Because you've been staring at the same spot on the menu   
for about ten minutes now."  
"Have I?" Ranma asked, rubbing the back of his head in   
embarrassment. "I must have been thinking of something."  
"Must be," Nabiki said, giving Ranma a somewhat   
disapproving look.  
Ranma was thankful when their waitress took this moment   
to appear, using this distraction to get away from Nabiki's gaze by   
hiding behind the menu.  
The short girl appeared to be Chinese, but had golden hair   
tied up in two buns and bright green eyes. She was wearing a red   
flower pattern chisogam with a real pale green flower behind one   
ear. She appeared young at first glance, but a second look told   
Nabiki that she was more likely around her age. She was a little   
too top-heavy to be just a kid.  
"Nihao!" she said to them in a cheery voice. "Welcome to   
the Jade Blossom. Would you like to hear our specials?"  
Nabiki shook her head. She didn't care about specials when   
someone else was paying. "I've already decided. How about you,   
Ranma?"  
"Ranma?" the waitress repeated, her eyes wide as she   
turned to face the person still hidden behind the menu.  
"Yeah?" Ranma replied, putting down the menu. Nabiki   
didn't sound mad, which was a relief. Maybe he was all worried   
over nothing. It was possible he could go out on a date and not run   
into any trouble.  
With a shout of "Ranma!", the pig-tailed boy found himself   
suddenly buried in a bear hug by the waitress, faces cheek to cheek,   
who was also babbling at him in now-broken Japanese.  
"Argh! What are you doing?!" he shouted in panic.  
The waitress didn't seem to notice. "This great! Have not   
seen for so long! Remember old friend Min-Lin? Yes? Yes?"  
Somehow Ranma managed to disengage himself from Min-  
Lin. He looked at her and blinked a few times. "Min-Lin, is that   
you?" he asked with some disbelief, trying to match up the image   
of the woman before him with the little girl he remembered.  
"Hai!" she shouted, giggling happily.  
"Is this a friend of yours, Ranma?" Nabiki asked with a   
sarcastic edge that was completely lost on Ranma at the moment.  
Min-Lin immediately turned to face Nabiki, a wide smile   
on her face. "Great-grandfather train Ranma's father in martial   
arts! Me stay at Ranma's house many, many times when young!   
Me and Ranma have much fun together! Good memories!"  
"Right," Nabiki said, frowning at the girl's over-enthusiasm.   
"I hate to get in the way of this charming reunion, but do you think   
you could take our orders now so we can at least eat while you   
reminisce?"  
Min-Lin nodded seriously, disengaging herself from Ranma   
and standing up straight again. "What will you be having, miss?"  
Nabiki told her her order and added, "And the name is   
Tendo, Nabiki Tendo."  
Min-Lin nodded quickly and spun around to face Ranma.   
"And for you, Ranma?" she asked, leaning over with a smile, so   
their faces were only inches apart.  
Ranma nervously backed up a little and pointed out what he   
wanted on the menu.  
"Right!" Min-Lin declared and collected up the menus. "Be   
back soon, Ranma!"  
"Ah, okay."  
Min-Lin nodded to him, still smiling, and practically   
bounced off in the direction of the kitchen.  
  
Kyoko had to stifle a giggle or two when she saw what had   
just happened at her boss's table. Nabiki was pretty good at   
concealing her emotions when she wanted to, but Kyoko could tell   
that she was seriously ticked about the waitress getting too friendly   
with her date.  
*Now you see he's just like any other man, sempai,* she   
thought. *Ready to put the moves on a cute girl when she comes   
along.*  
Still, irritation wasn't enough for Kyoko. She wanted   
Nabiki to storm out of the restaurant, leaving Ranma behind. It   
would take a lot for her boss to leave a free meal, though. Then   
she realized they had just placed their orders.  
*Maybe I should help out a little in the kitchen,* Kyoko   
thought with a smirk.  
  
Once Min-Lin was gone, Ranma sighed and put his head in   
his hands. *Why did she have so show up now?* he wondered.   
*Just when everything was going so well.* Okay, so Ranma could   
admit to himself that things were hardly perfect before she had   
appeared, but they were certainly worse now.  
Case in point, Nabiki was definitely frowning at him from   
the other side of the table. "What was that all about?" she asked,   
not sounding at all pleased.  
Ranma took a breath and explained, "Her great-grandfather   
is the founder of Anything Goes Martial Arts, the school my father   
and I practice. Supposedly, he had finished training my father   
before I was born, but when I was around three, he came to stay   
with us for a while. He had added some improvements on the   
school that he was going around and teaching to all of his former   
students. Min-Lin and her parents were traveling with him,   
probably because her father was also one of his students.  
"Since there weren't any kids in the neighborhood my age, I   
ended up spending a lot of time playing with Min-Lin. In fact,   
because of the house being so crowded, we had to share a futon."  
When he saw Nabiki's frown deepen, Ranma realized that   
he should have kept that detail to himself.  
"Sounds like you two were very close," Nabiki noted   
almost casually, but there was a definite edge to her voice.  
"No, no, not really," Ranma replied, waving his hand in   
denial. "She makes it sound like more than it was. We weren't that   
close at all."  
"Ranma is being too modest," Min-Lin added in as she   
pulled up a chair next to him and sat down. "We were inseparable   
when little. Always do everything together; play, eat, sleep. We   
even took baths together."  
"Oh, really?" Nabiki said with a detectable trace of anger in   
her voice.  
"It was all perfectly innocent!" Ranma explained, trying to   
avert this disaster. "We were only little kids!"  
Min-Lin went on as if she hadn't noticed Nabiki's tone or   
what Ranma had said. "Yes, we would cry whenever separated. I   
remember how much I cried when our parents separated us for   
three days when they caught us playing doctor--"  
"So, Min-Lin," Ranma interrupted quickly. "I thought you   
were in China. When did you get back to Japan?"  
Min-Lin accepted the change in subject without a blink.   
"Only return to Japan a week ago. Living with parents once more.   
They enroll me in St. Herbreke all-girls school to help me learn to   
be more Japanese. But school expensive, so I work here to help   
pay. Great-grandmother know owner so get job easy. She want   
me to work and not slack off in training either."  
"Hey, that's the same school my sister goes to," Ranma said   
suddenly. "Pops works his tail off to pay for it."  
Min-Lin blinked at him in surprise, reminding Ranma once   
again how close they were sitting to each other. "Ranma has sister   
now? What her name?"  
"Hitomi," he replied after a moment.  
"Oh, must meet her soon!" Min-Lin enthused, "Bet she cute   
like brother!"  
Nabiki interrupted in attempt to save her student from the   
potential Min-Lin's affection. "So I guess the reason you couldn't   
stay with Ranma here was having to go to China, right?"  
Min-Lin nodded. "Yes, it was a sad, sad day when I had to   
leave for China. Not want to leave parents, and especially Ranma,   
but have no choice. Great-grandmother decided that I should be   
heir to her school of martial arts and training had to begin   
immediately. Then things happen in village that make great-  
grandmother decide to suspend training for a while so she can go   
and search for great-grandfather."  
Min-Lin nearly jumped out of her chair for no apparent   
reason. She pulled unclipped a small, black box from her belt and   
explained, "Is beeper. Don't think I'll ever get used to this thing.   
Your food must be ready."  
She stood up and straightened out her dress. "Will return   
soon Ranma, Ms. Tendo," she said and left.  
  
Ranma held his head in his hands again as soon as Min-Lin   
left. "Why does this always happen to me?" he muttered. "I must   
be cursed or something."  
"What was that?" Nabiki asked, though she sounded more   
confused than angry now.  
Ranma looked up at Nabiki as if he had forgotten she was   
there. "I'm really sorry about all this," he told her sincerely.  
The edge was back in Nabiki's voice when she spoke. "No,   
it's me who's sorry to be in the way of such a touching reunion.   
Who knows how much closer you two could be if I wasn't here.   
Perhaps I should leave now?"  
Ranma sighed. "Maybe it would be better if you did leave."  
"What was that?" This wasn't the response Nabiki had   
been expecting. She had expected him to beg -- or at least ask --   
her to stay. Not tell her to go, especially when there was a   
vengeful little sister involved.  
Ranma thought for a moment before replying. "What are   
the odds of me running into an old friend like this, who I thought   
was in another country, especially at the worst possible moment?"  
Nabiki considered this. Setting odds was one of her   
specialties. "Depends on how many childhood girlfriends you've   
had, Saotome."  
"Just one, her, and we were never more than just friends."  
"Hmm, I'd say those would be pretty steep odds. You must   
be one lucky guy."  
"But that's just it!" Ranma shouted suddenly, standing up.   
"These things happen to me all the time! I must have the worst   
luck in the world!"  
Nabiki smirked. "Your luck is only going to get worse if   
you keep shouting."  
Ranma sat back down quickly, embarrassed. He took a sip   
of his tea, trying to ignore the looks of the people at the nearby   
tables, though his hands, Nabiki noticed, were shaking slightly.  
"Hey, relax," she told him. "I'm not mad at you or   
anything."  
"You're not?" Ranma asked, surprise clear in his voice.  
Nabiki smiled and shook her head. "Okay, maybe I was a   
little at first, but it was more over being surprised and kept off   
balance like that. I shouldn't really blame you for something that   
really isn't your fault."  
Ranma sighed in relief. "Thank you for being so   
understanding about this."  
"At least things won't be boring with you around, Ranma-  
kun."  
  
Kyoko accidentally snapped a chopstick in half in irritation.   
Her boss was smiling, smiling at Ranma. He, of all people, didn't   
deserve one of her smiles. This was not good. What Kyoko had   
done to their meal might not be enough. She would have to find   
some other way of breaking them up.  
  
On the surface, Nabiki was calm and smiling, but   
underneath she was seething. She had come to a well-known   
restaurant with what was obviously her date and the waitress   
openly flirted with him not once, but twice! And what was worse,   
Nabiki had sat by and done nothing!  
Them being old friends being reunited again allowed for   
some affection between them, but Min-Lin had far overstepped   
those bounds. Whether the girl was ignorant of these rules or only   
pretended to be, Nabiki didn't know. The result was the same.   
Their feelings for Ranma were also mainly irrelevant. This was   
contest between her and Min-Lin, and it was obvious to Nabiki that   
she was losing. And if there was one thing Nabiki hated, it was to   
lose.  
The problem was Min-Lin had a number of advantages.   
She knew Ranma better, didn't mind being overly-affectionate in   
public, and had the whole super-cute thing going for her. The only   
real advantage Nabiki had was her superior intellect. Still, she   
wasn't going to give in without a fight.  
So it was with a somewhat brittle smile that Nabiki greeted   
the return of Min-Lin, now carrying a heavy platter laden with her   
and Ranma's meals casually in one hand. Nabiki noted that years   
of martial arts training had made the Chinese girl strong, possibly   
as strong as Akane.  
Min-Lin carefully set the meals down before Ranma and   
Nabiki, though the whole time most of her attention was directed at   
the former. She also re-filled their near-empty tea cups.  
"Please enjoy the meal," she told them. "I have to wait on   
other customers, but will be back soon."  
Nabiki breathed a small sigh of relief as the waitress left   
and absently started in on her meal. He eyes immediately bulged   
out.  
"Nabiki, what's wrong?" Ranma asked with some concern   
as he started on his own food, remembering to eat slowly.  
"Hot," she explained quickly as she lunged for the tea, only   
to spit it out.  
"What's going on here?" Nabiki nearly shouted in anger.   
"This food is loaded with spices and the tea tastes like dirt."  
Ranma shrugged. "Maybe they screwed up your order,   
mine tastes fine..."  
Ranma suddenly shot out of his seat and made to leave.  
"Where are you going?" Nabiki asked, bewildered, standing   
up herself.  
Ranma was about to explain when he tripped over the foot   
of a passing waitress and collided with Nabiki, knocking them both   
to the floor.  
"Get off of me!" Nabiki yelled at Ranma, smacking him in   
the head with her heavy purse for good measure.  
Ranma mumbled apologies as he stood and sprinted off in   
the direction of the rest rooms.  
  
Kyoko surpressed more laughter as she saw the faces of   
Ranma and Nabiki, though she did feel sorry for doing that to her   
boss. She knew how much Nabiki hated spicy food or people   
invading her personal space. Still, no price was too high to save   
her boss from that fiend.  
  
Nabiki knew now that the sabotaged meals were no   
accident. Her food alone getting messed up by mistake was   
believable, but not hers, Ranma's, and the tea. Someone was   
deliberately trying to ruin her date and Nabiki had only one   
possible suspect: Min-Lin. Apparently, the bubbly innocent girl   
routine was just an act. She must have seen Nabiki come in with   
her old friend and decided that she wanted to keep Ranma for   
herself. It was even possible that Min-Lin had somehow found out   
about the date beforehand and gotten a job there for the sole   
purpose of ruining this evening. That was a little more believable   
than Ranma's constant bad luck.  
Nabiki was openly stern with her arms crossed when Min-  
Lin came back to the table. "Is there something wrong, Ms.   
Tendo?" the waitress asked. "Where's Ranma?"  
*As if you didn't know,* Nabiki thought as she sized up her   
enemy. She had underestimated Min-Lin before, but she wouldn't   
make that mistake again. Any woman who would do such a thing   
to the man she wanted was liable to try anything.  
"He ran off without explaining, though I think something in   
his food disagreed with him."  
"Really?" Min-Lin replied with wide, innocent eyes as she   
looked down at Ranma's meal.  
Nabiki nodded. "But that comes as no surprise to me, since   
there seems to be something wrong with my meal as well. Here,   
why don't you taste it?"  
Min-Lin only hesitated for a moment before eating from the   
portion Nabiki offered her with her chopsticks. "Ayiah! This too,   
too spicy!"  
"Why don't you try some of the tea then?" Nabiki said,   
offering her cup to the waitress.  
Min-Lin hesitated a little longer before taking a cautious   
sip, which she spit out almost immediately. "Tea taste awful too!"  
Min-Lin quickly collected up the meals and tea onto the   
platter she carried and told Nabiki, "I much, much sorry for this.   
Will make sure cook no make same mistake twice when he remake   
your meals quick. Will even taste self before serving. Please   
apologize to Ranma for me when he come back, okay?"  
Nabiki nodded and watched her go. She had won that   
battle, but she was far away from winning the war.  
  
Ranma couldn't help noticing Nabiki's expression when he   
returned. Her eyes were flat, her mouth a thin line. He realized   
that his sister's disapproving glare was an imitation of this and   
Hitomi's paled against the original. Ranma tried to apologize   
again, but the words caught in his throat under Nabiki's look.  
"Min-Lin told me to tell you she was sorry about the food,"   
Nabiki said after a minute or so of silence. Her voice was a   
monotone.  
Ranma laughed uncomfortably, trying in vain to break up   
the serious mood. "Well, it isn't really her fault. All she did was   
serve the messed up food. It's one of the cooks who screwed up."  
"Was it?" Nabiki asked with one raised eyebrow.  
Not understanding what Nabiki meant, nor able to think of   
anything else to say, Ranma didn't reply.  
They sat there in silence for some time, until their meals   
were placed in front of them once again. Ranma looked up to see   
that it wasn't Min-Lin, but a Chinese man in his mid thirties   
dressed in a cook's uniform.  
He bowed deeply to the both of them and said, "On behalf   
of the management and myself, I apologize for what happened to   
your meal. It seems that a box of spices was accidentally knocked   
into one of the meals by someone, and we're still unsure about   
what happened to the other and the tea. There will be, of course,   
no charge for this evening."  
He bowed to the both of them once more. "Once again, I   
am sorry," he said and left them to their meal.  
Ranma ate in silence, slowly without really thinking about   
it. He felt almost afraid to attract Nabiki's attention and have her   
disapproving glare directed at him once again. The quiet meal was   
tense and uncomfortable, but it didn't remind him of how big a   
screw up he had made quite as often as her gaze did. Nabiki, at   
least, seemed perfectly content to concentrate on her meal and not   
say a word.  
  
Ranma was about half-way through his meal when Min-Lin   
returned. Whether it was over the past incident or catching the   
mood of the table, she seemed subdued as well. She walked slowly   
over to him.  
"I'm sorry, Ranma," she told him. "I didn't mean to serve   
you a bad food."  
Ranma wasn't mad at her. He knew it wasn't her mistake,   
besides, he couldn't stand to see a girl sad. "It wasn't your fault,"   
her replied. "You didn't do anything wrong. You have nothing to   
apologize for."  
Min-Lin smiled gratefully. "Thank--"  
She was interrupted by the sudden snap of a pair of   
chopsticks being broken in two. Min-Lin and Ranma both turned   
to face Nabiki, who was staring at the remains of her chopsticks   
with an expression that was half puzzled and half amused.  
"Now how did that happen?" Nabiki asked herself out loud   
as she brought her stare over to Ranma and Min-Lin. "I must not   
know my own strength."  
"I'll get you another pair right away," Min-Lin said and   
went off in search of them.  
"Um, Nabiki?" Ranma struggled to say.  
Nabiki stared at him, though there was a smile on her lips   
now, her eyes were still flat. "Yes, Saotome?"  
"Nothing."  
  
Kyoko couldn't hold it in any more. She ran into the ladies   
room and started to laugh and laugh until tears came to her eyes.   
Things had gone even better than she had expected, and she had   
found something that she hadn't counted on either; it was fun doing   
that. Being the one in charge for a change, making the decisions   
herself, manipulating people's lives, having control. She would   
have to find a way to do this sort of thing again.  
Tonight though, she was spent, and deciding that she did   
not want to wait on tables for the next hour or so, she changed and   
left. So what if they never paid her? She had gotten all she had   
wanted and more out of the evening.  
  
Min-Lin returned with a new pair of chopsticks, but was   
called away almost immediately. It seemed that a new waitress had   
disappeared suddenly and she had to take most of her tables.  
It was like hours to Ranma, but it actually wasn't too long   
before he and Nabiki had finished eating.  
Frowning, Nabiki threw down her napkin and said, "Let's   
get out of here."  
"But I haven't had the chance to say good-bye to Min-Lin   
yet," Ranma protested immediately.  
Nabiki's frown deepened, as did the edge to her voice. "I'm   
going now. You can either leave with me, or wait until your old   
girlfriend is done with her shift. It's up to you."  
Nabiki moved to leave, not waiting for a response.  
"Wait!" Ranma called after her. "I'm going with you."  
Nabiki paused just long enough for him to catch up.  
  
Ranma and Nabiki left the restaurant side by side, but not   
as closely as they had entered. Nabiki made no move to take his   
arm, and Ranma wasn't sure if she should take hers. He could tell   
that she was more distant now then when they had first met, and   
Ranma couldn't blame her. He knew he had made a fool of himself   
in the restaurant.  
Only a block from the restaurant and the walk home was   
getting to be more uncomfortable than Ranma could bare. They   
hadn't said anything at all since leaving, and while Ranma   
struggled to find something to say, he couldn't think of a thing. He   
just wished that something, anything would happen to break this   
silence between them.  
"There you are!" shouted a woman from some distance   
behind them. "I've found you at last!"  
Ranma frowned at the familiar voice as he slowly turned   
around. The woman who spoke looked to be about eighteen, tall,   
with page-boy style brown hair, and wearing a somewhat revealing   
karate gi, which she filled out well, especially around the chest.   
She was surrounded by over a dozen boys, all dressed in gis.  
"Friends of yours?" Nabiki asked.  
Ranma shook his head, his frown deepening. He should   
have known better than to wish for something. His eternally bad   
luck had struck again.  
The woman brushed her fingers through her hair and   
declared, "At last, the noble and beautiful Karate Queen has been   
reunited with he one true love, the Karate King!"  
"So I guess that's you, Mr. martial artist?" Nabiki asked   
Ranma with a smirk.  
The Karate Queen seemed to notice Nabiki for the first   
time, and spoke again before Ranma could say anything. Her voice   
was filled with outrage. "And who is this? What woman would   
dare consider herself worthy enough to stand so near the destined   
companion of the Karate Queen?"  
Nabiki brought herself up straight and looked the Karate   
Queen right in the eyes. She shouted back, "Nabiki Tendo, and   
your king and I have just been on a date!"  
"What?!" KQ yelled, her face red with rage.  
Nabiki suddenly grabbed of Ranma's arm, holding him   
close. "And we had a good time too! Didn't we, my king?" Nabiki   
asked Ranma, fluttering her eyelashes at him.  
Ranma gulped. He couldn't help noticing that Nabiki's   
smile never quite reached her eyes, which were hard with   
determination, like she was in the middle of a important martial   
arts match. He had a feeling that refuting her would not be a good   
idea.  
"Yeah," Ranma replied somewhat hesitantly. "We had a   
great time."  
The Karate Queen was practically spitting in anger, but   
then she drew herself up and calmed down immediately. Her eyes   
were narrowed and a smile played at the corner of her lips. "It   
seems that you and I are rivals, Nabiki Tendo, but the Karate   
Queen knows how to deal with rivals."  
KQ turned to the boys around her and told them. "My loyal   
minions, capture the girl and my beloved, and bring them both to   
me!"  
The boys shouted back in unison. "Yes! We live to serve   
her highness, the Karate Queen!" Then they rushed towards   
Ranma and Nabiki.  
Ranma was about to launch an attack when he remembered   
his promises to his sister. He had promised to show Nabiki a good   
time and no fighting, even if someone attack him. Having   
blundered on the first one, he was determined to keep the second.  
"Aren't you going to do something?" Nabiki asked, a trace   
of panic in her voice. She was painfully aware of her current   
vulnerability.  
"Right," Ranma said, nodding. Then he raised his hand in   
the air and shouted, "Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial   
Arts Secret Technique!"  
The minions all paused and dropped into battle stances,   
readying themselves for whatever Ranma would throw at them.  
"Run away!" Ranma used this time to pick up Nabiki and   
run as fast as he could in the opposite direction.  
The minions only stared after him in shock, until the Karate   
Queen shouted, "After them, fools!"  
  
Even for someone as unshakable as Nabiki, suddenly   
finding herself riding in Ranma's arms, held close to his chest, was   
quite a shock. It was some time before she was able to say, "I can't   
help but notice that we're running away. Why didn't you try   
fighting them? They didn't look that tough to me."  
Ranma, frantically searching for avenues of escape, quickly   
responded, "Can't. Promised Hitomi no fighting."  
Nabiki smirked, feeling her old confidence starting to   
return, despite her current situation. "I think she'd understand in   
this case, Saotome."  
Ranma shook his head as he ducked into a side street.   
"You don't know my sister. She'd make me do something for my   
'breach of contract.' Running away is a small price to pay."  
*I _do_ know your sister,* Nabiki thought, smiling. *I'm   
the one who taught her that.*  
Deciding that being carried in Ranma's arms wasn't quite so   
bad, especially when he didn't look ready to tire any time soon,   
Nabiki changed the subject. "So what's the deal with you and her   
royal highness back there?"  
Ranma sighed. He knew he'd have to explain sooner or   
later. "It all started about a year and a half ago. My pop usually   
takes me on martial arts training trips all over Japan during school   
vacation. The summer before last he took me to a small town   
known for karate masters.  
"We happened to arrive the week when they were holding   
the yearly town festival. The main event was two karate   
tournaments, one for men and the other for women. The winners   
of each would be crowned the king and queen of karate for a year.   
When my pop found out that the winners would be the guests of   
honor at a banquet later, he entered me immediately. It looked like   
fun, and I didn't think much of the competition, so I went along   
with it."  
"Let me guess, big mistake, right?" Nabiki said.  
Ranma nodded. "What I didn't know at the time was that   
the same people had been winning year after year, so that people   
just called them the Karate Queen and the Karate King, rather than   
their real names. They both have legions of fans, who are also   
trained in karate and make up most of the remaining competitors.  
"I blew through nearly all of the challengers like they were   
nothing. They were okay martial artists, but they just weren't at my   
level."  
"Modesty is a virtue," Nabiki said with a smirk.  
Ranma blushed faintly in embarrassment. "Yeah, well, it   
was the final match between me and the Karate King. The Karate   
Queen had already won her title yet again and most people just   
wanted my match to be over with. It was weird. Everyone saw   
how good I was against the other competitors, but they still   
expected me to lose, including the Karate King."  
"How good was this King anyway?"  
Ranma shrugged. "Okay, I guess. About equal to Kuno,   
but he wasted a lot of time posing and paying more attention to his   
fans than the fight."  
"Why do I have the feeling that this was a short match?"  
"It was. I got sick of waiting around with all his posing,   
people cheering for him, so I walked right over to him and punched   
him in the face, just to get his attention."  
Noticing Ranma's frown, Nabiki asked, "What happened?"  
"The guy went down and didn't get back up again. Think   
he had a glass jaw or something. One of the dumbest fights I ever   
had."  
Nabiki suddenly burst out laughing. "What an idiot!"  
Seeing Ranma's embarrassed look, Nabiki patted him on   
the cheek and said, "Not you, Ranma. I mean that Karate King   
moron. I didn't think there was anyone who could make Kuno look   
intelligent. Still, it doesn't explain why queeny is chasing after you   
now."  
"It gets worse."  
"How?"  
"Another thing I didn't know was the reason there were so   
many competitors is that the Karate Queen declared that on her   
18th birthday she would marry whoever was the Karate King."  
"Which was you, but they must have had another festival   
and elected another karate king since then."  
Ranma shook his head. "Apparently, the Karate Queen was   
so moved by my prowess that she declared that no one but me was   
worthy of her. So, according to her, I'm still the karate king until   
someone is able to defeat me and win the title."  
"Ranma Saotome, always popular with the ladies," Nabiki   
said with a laugh.  
"I wish I wasn't," Ranma muttered in reply.  
  
"Hey, I recognize this place," Nabiki said suddenly, looking   
around from her resting place in Ranma's arms. "Take the next   
right."  
Ranma shrugged and did as he was told. Any direction was   
okay with him, as long as it was away from the Karate Queen and   
her minions.  
"Wait, stop right here." Nabiki sprang out of his arms and   
made towards the house they had halted in front of.  
Glancing back, Ranma said, "Are you sure about this? I   
managed to put some distance between us, but they should catch up   
quickly. They don't give up easily."  
Nabiki smiled. "Trust me. I'll be just a minute, and then   
we won't have to worry about those guys any more."  
Ranma was puzzled, but nodded anyway. "All right, but   
I'm not going to just stand here and let them capture me."  
  
Nabiki quickly took off her heels and raced inside the   
Tendo compound.  
"How was your date, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked as her sister   
ran by.  
"Pretty boring at first," Nabiki replied, not slowing down,   
"but it picked up quickly. It's not quite over yet."  
At the door to the dojo, Nabiki took a breath and composed   
herself. Then, with an air of casualness despite how she was   
dressed, she leaned on the doorway and told her youngest sister,   
who was inside practicing, "Akane, some boys are here to beat you   
up in order to date you."  
Akane blinked at the sudden appearance of her sister,   
though her eyes narrowed when the message sunk in. "Where are   
they?" she growled.  
"On their way here now, they should be outside any   
moment. They're all wearing white gis so you can't miss them."  
Akane nodded and casually smashed a cinderblock to dust   
with a single blow.  
  
Nabiki raced out of the house and leapt back into Ranma's   
arms. Holding her by instinct, Ranma looked at her with   
confusion.  
"Go!" Nabiki shouted, pointing down the street.  
Ranma ran.  
  
The Karate Queen's minions raced down the street, only to   
find they had lost sight of their quarry. They all stopped all looked   
around in confusion.  
"Which way you think they went?" one asked.  
Another shrugged. There were three possible directions   
they could have gone, not counting ducking into one of the houses.  
"Maybe we should split up?"  
"But then we won't be able to attack them in force when we   
find them," yet another pointed out.  
A few nodded in agreement.  
While the minions were debating their next course of   
action, Akane strode out of the Tendo compound, wearing a pale   
yellow gi, an expression of disdain on her face. "There you are!"   
she shouted to the group of gi-wearing boys in the middle of the   
street.  
They turned around to face her in surprise. "Does she mean   
us?" one asked.  
"I'll teach you all a lesson!" Akane shouted as she ran up to   
them, her fists raised threateningly.  
  
Ranma suddenly heard the sounds of a battle going on   
somewhere behind him as he ran through the streets, Nabiki in his   
arms.  
"What was that?" he asked after the sound of something   
striking the concrete was heard.  
"A distraction I arranged for us," Nabiki replied with a   
smile. "You can stop running now, we won't have to worry about   
those minions any more tonight."  
Ranma slowed down and gradually stopped. "How did you   
manage that?"  
Nabiki looked down at herself and up at the boy who still   
held her. "You can put me down now, Ranma," she pointed out.  
Ranma blinked in surprise and immediate set Nabiki on her   
feet. "Sorry about that."  
Nabiki's smile widened as she slipped her arm around his   
waist and leaned onto his side. "You've done nothing you need to   
apologize for."  
Ranma was starting to feel very uncomfortable, so in order   
to distract himself from certain things his mother once told him, he   
asked her again, "How did you manage to stop all those guys?"  
"Oh, it was pretty easy. All those guys chasing after us   
reminded me of --"  
"You may have escaped my minions, but you haven't   
escaped me!" shouted the Karate Queen as she emerged from a   
side-street, hands on hips, face red with anger. She pointed right at   
Nabiki and yelled, "Nabiki Tendo, how dare you take my rightful   
place in my love's arms?"  
Nabiki smirked and held Ranma a little closer, "Sorry to   
break this to, your highness, but this king is all mine. Why don't   
you find a mate closer to your station? I'd suggest trying the   
pound."  
The Karate Queen looked ready to explode. "I challenge   
you!" she screeched. "Nabiki Tendo, the Karate Queen challenges   
you for the hand of Ranma Saotome! In that way we can prove   
who is more worthy of his affections!"  
Nabiki let go of Ranma and slowly cracked her knuckles.   
"All right, I accept your challenge."  
"You're a martial artist?" Ranma whispered to her in   
surprise. "From the way you move, I would have never guessed.   
You must be really good."  
With a big smile, Nabiki whispered back, "I've never taken   
a lesson in my life. My father always wanted me to, but I could   
never get into it."  
"What?! Why are you doing this then? The Karate Queen   
will cream you."  
"Concerned for me already, Saotome?" Nabiki teased.   
"And it's only our first date. You do move fast."  
"I just don't want anyone getting hurt because of me,"   
Ranma told her seriously. "Look, why don't we try running away   
again? I doubt she'll be able to catch us this time."  
Nabiki shook her head. "A Tendo never backs down from   
a challenge, that's one lesson I did accept from my father. Besides,   
I have a plan. Trust me, okay?" she said with a wink.  
"All right," Ranma replied reluctantly, "but I'm breaking   
this up before you get seriously hurt."  
Nabiki chuckled. "She won't even lay a hand on me."  
  
"So are you finally ready?" the Karate Queen asked, making   
a theatrical show of boredom. "I want to get this over with quickly   
so my love and I can watch the sunrise together."  
Instead of replying, Nabiki dropped into a stance she had   
seen her sister use before.  
"Very well," KQ declared, then charged towards her   
opponent, "Prepare to die, Nabiki Tendo!"  
Just before KQ reached her, Nabiki suddenly pointed and   
shouted, "Look! Isn't that the Karate King behind you!?"  
The Karate Queen halted in mid-lunge and spun around, her   
expression suddenly fearful. "Where?"  
Nabiki swung her heavy purse, knocking KQ on the head   
and into unconsciousness. Then she started laughing so hard that   
she had to hold her sides.  
"That wasn't exactly fair," Ranma told her with a frown.  
"Hey, you're the one with the secret technique of running   
away. Still, can you believe she actually fell for that? I thought   
she was stupid before."  
"Fell for what?" Ranma asked her in honest confusion.  
Nabiki frowned. "You don't think I actually saw the Karate   
King, do you?"  
"Why not? He's right where you pointed."  
Nabiki spun around and blinked in confusion to see a man   
in a black gi staring at her in shock. He was surrounded by a dozen   
or so female ninjas.  
"How dare you?!" the Karate King bellowed. "How dare   
you harm one hair on the head of my beloved queen? Minions,   
destroy them!"  
Nabiki leapt right into Ranma's arms. "Saotome Secret   
Technique!" they both shouted, and when the minions paused, they   
ran away in the other direction.  
  
Seeing the mass of unconscious boys in white gis lying all   
around before the Tendo home, Nabiki told Ranma to stop again.   
She raced inside, told Akane, "Akane, there's a bunch of girls   
dressed as ninjas out here that say you're fat!" And then raced out   
again, right into Ranma's arms.  
"One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you   
manage that," Ranma told her as he heard the sounds of violence   
from somewhere behind him.  
"A girl has to have some secrets," Nabiki replied with a   
smile.  
"You could walk on your own now," Ranma pointed out,   
"since no one is chasing us."  
"Why would I want to do that when I'm so comfortable   
where I am?" Nabiki said with a grin as she snuggled closer to her   
date.  
Finding that he couldn't easily escape a girl he was carrying,   
Ranma had a bit of problem, though the bigger problem was the   
fact that he wasn't sure if he wanted to escape this time.  
  
Finally, they arrived under the street lamp by the park,   
where the date had begun and Nabiki had decided where it should   
end. They were alone once more, but it was far later into the night   
than either of them had realized.  
"I'm sorry," Ranma told her.  
"About what?" Nabiki asked in surprise.  
"About the dinner, the chase, everything," Ranma replied,   
waving his hands in the air.  
Nabiki put her finger to his lips and smiled at his surprised   
expression. "I don't want to hear any more apologies from you,   
Ranma-kun, because I for one had a great time."  
"You did? Really? How?" Ranma asked once Nabiki had   
removed her finger, even more confused now. "I mean, dinner was   
a disaster and I put you in danger several times."  
"Remember this flower you gave me?" Nabiki asked,   
pointing at the carnation pinned to her dress.  
Ranma nodded, still baffled.  
"In all the excitement we had tonight, not a single petal was   
lost. It was neither crushed nor bruised. It had nothing to fear   
tonight for the same reason I did: you protected us from harm. It   
was sort of like a carnival, I got all of the thrills without any of the   
danger. So I had fun, okay?" Nabiki explained with a grin.  
"I guess so," Ranma replied, not really understanding what   
Nabiki had just said. "It's pretty late now, so we should probably   
call it a night. At least before those guys recover."  
Nabiki nodded. "Good night, Ranma."  
"Good night, Nabiki."  
Ranma was shocked when Nabiki suddenly threw her arms   
around him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "We'll have to do   
this again soon, okay?" she said with a wink.  
"Um, yeah," was all that Ranma could manage to say at the   
moment.  
Nabiki giggled and walked away, leaving Ranma standing   
dazed under the street lamp, who was currently giving up on ever   
understanding women.  
  
Ranma very slowly opened the window to his room and   
crept inside, the dim moonlight not revealing much of it's dim   
exterior, though having lived there all his life, he found it easy to   
avoid its obstacles on the way to the light switch.  
"Hello, son. How was your date?"  
Ranma very slowly turned around to see his mother sitting   
calmly on his bed. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had   
been waiting for hours for him to come home.  
"I wasn't on any date," Ranma replied immediately with a   
laugh as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment.  
Nodoka looked him up and down. "Why were you out so   
late dressed like that then?"  
"Like this?" Ranma said as he looked down at himself and   
nearly jumped, having forgotten he was wearing a tuxedo. He tried   
his best to think of a quick explanation. "I had to dress like this for   
a challenge."  
"What sort of challenge, son?" Nodoka asked, her tone   
making it clear she wasn't buying his excuse.  
"Um... Martial Arts Ballroom Dancing. I accidentally   
stepped on this guy's toes a month ago, so he challenged me to a   
match set for today. I didn't want to do it, but you know how pop   
says that a martial artist has to accept all challengers."  
"It's not very manly to lie to your mother, my son," Nodoka   
stated firmly. "I remember you had that match three months ago."  
Ranma 'eeped' and took a step back. His mother could be   
very intimidating when she wanted to be, even when she didn't   
carry around the family sword. He hung his head and came clean.   
"All right, I was on a date. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to   
you to make a big fuss out of if."  
Before Ranma could blink, his mother had hugged him,   
picked him up, and sat him down on his bed next to her. "Now I   
want you to tell me all the details," Nodoka told him with a smile.  
Ranma took a breath and began to tell his mother some   
very edited highlights of his night. There was a lot that he knew he   
had to leave out, or at least trim severely. He didn't mention that   
Hitomi had set the whole thing up because he knew his mother   
would use her daughter to set up in the future. He also didn't   
mention how friendly Min-Lin had been or the reason the Karate   
Queen had been chasing him, but the way Nodoka reacted, he   
probably should have left them out entirely. She jumped to the   
ridiculous conclusion that he had dated three women that night   
instead of just one.  
"You make you mother proud with you manliness, son,"   
Nodoka told him when he was finished, giving him a hug with   
tears in her eyes.  
Then she wiped her tears away and stood up. "I'll let you   
rest now. You've had a very busy night."  
"Night, mom."  
"Good night, Ranma," she replied, shutting off the light and   
shutting the door behind her.  
  
Genma groaned and sat up as he wife got back into bed.   
"What's going on?" he asked softly.  
Nodoka smiled. "Nothing, dear. Just go back to sleep."  
"Why are you smiling then?"  
"Oh, if you must know our son just got back from a date   
with three girls," she told him in glee. "He's so manly."  
"That's nice dear," Gemna replied, turning over and   
pretending to go back to sleep. As he slipped an arm around his   
wife, he frowned and thought, *What a gigolo I've raised.*  
  
Nabiki slipped back in the Tendo compound, grateful that   
everyone else had gone to sleep as she crept up to her room,   
changed out of her dress, and got into her bed. Sleep wouldn't   
come easily for her, though. Too many thoughts about her evening   
swirled around in her head.  
It had been confusing, strange, dangerous, and wonderful.   
It might not have been the best night of her life, but it probably   
came close. She certainly couldn't remember the last time she had   
as much excitement, or as much fun.  
The dinner had been mostly a disaster, but a comic one to   
her now, especially with the way the rest of the evening went. It   
appeared that Ranma was being honest about his abysmal luck.   
Whatever Nabiki had lost against Min-Lin, she had more than   
made up with her short war with the Karate Queen. Perhaps she   
should add that to her list of titles? After all, she did defeat queeny   
in that match.  
Nabiki shook her head. Being queen of Furinkan High was   
enough for her, at least for now.  
And Ranma was... well, Ramna. She couldn't find any easy   
way to describe him. He certainly wasn't like any guy she had met   
before. A powerful martial artist that let his sister bully him.   
Someone who immediately protected her, yet seemed almost afraid   
of her when they were alone. With almost no social graces, but at   
the core a nice guy. Did she confuse him as much as he confused   
her?  
Probably.  
Eventually, Nabiki threw off the covers and switched on   
her computer. She had a student to thank.  
  
Ranma laid down on his bed and closed his eyes. Just   
when he was about to drift off to sleep again, the light switched   
back on, startling him awake. He sprang out of bed to see Hitomi   
closing his door behind her. She was dressed in light blue   
pajamas, her long auburn hair tied back by a dark blue ribbon.  
"I thought you said mom wouldn't find out about this,"   
Ranma said testily, though more from being awakened than his   
mother's surprise visit.  
Hitomi looked down in shame as she slowly made her way   
over to her brother's bed. "I'm sorry, Ranma. I really don't know   
how she found out. I thought I had everything covered, but I guess   
I missed something."  
"It's okay," Ranma told her. He didn't like seeing his   
normally positive sister feel bad. "I think it's impossible to keep   
this sort of thing from mom anyway. When it comes to things   
affecting my 'manliness,' she psychic."  
Hitomi smiled gratefully as she hopped up onto his bed. "I   
hope you don't plan in sleeping in the tux. I've got to bring it back   
tomorrow morning."  
"I was going to change, I was only resting a bit first,"   
Ranma explained defensively.  
"Sure you were," Hitomi teased. "So... how was the date?"  
"Well, it was good."  
Hitomi poked her brother in the stomach. "Just 'good'   
doesn't cut it with me, brother dear. I want details, details. And   
don't leave anything out like you did with mom."  
"You were eavesdropping?" Ranma asked in surprise.  
Hitomi shook her head. "I didn't have to. I know there had   
to be some things you wouldn't tell mom. There always are. So   
how was meeting my sensei? Wasn't she as beautiful as I said?"  
"She was... pretty," Ranma admitted after a moment.  
"And?" Hitomi asked with an exaggerated show of   
impatience.  
"And... nice."  
Hitomi sighed. "Am I going to have to pull every single   
detail from you, or do you need some encouragement?" she asked   
as she twitched her fingers, preparing for another tickle attack.  
"All right, I give. I'll tell you everything, just stop   
threatening me."  
"Okay," Hitomi said with a smile as she put her hands   
down. "Talk."  
Ranma tried to tell the story in the order that things   
happened, but he kept forgetting things and having to go back and   
explain them. Despite this, Hitomi sat and listened patiently, never   
raising a word of complaint.  
"And then she kissed me on the cheek and now I don't   
know what to think," Ranma finished, blushing in embarrassment.  
Hitomi snored in response.  
Ranma smiled as he looked down to see his sister curled up   
asleep in his bed. It was no wonder she didn't complain, then it   
was way past her bedtime. Ranma yawned, realizing it was way   
passed his bed time as well.  
Gently he picked up his still sleeping sister and carried her   
to her bed, tucking her in for the night. Ranma made it back to his   
room, took off and carefully folded up the tuxedo. Too tired to   
think about anything, he fell on his bed and went to sleep.  



	5. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ranma 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
I owe a debt of gratitude to the following pre-readers who helped   
me clean up all the glaring errors in this draft that I was blind to:   
Donny Cheng, Ronny Hedin, LarryF, Angus McSpon, and Thomas   
Hackwood.  
  
***  
  
Kasumi awoke with a small yawn and blinked at the clock   
by her bed. For some reason she had awoken fifteen minutes later   
than she normally did. She'd been waking up at the same time for   
so long that she had not bothered to set her alarm in years. Only   
illness could make her miss her morning's appointment with the   
sun, but she hadn't been sick for some time.  
This bothered Kasumi a bit, even though she'd have plenty   
of time to get ready for the day and prepare breakfast. While she   
didn't have any interest in horoscopes as other women did, she did   
believe in signs and portents. And waking up late, to her, was a   
bad sign.  
As she got out of bed, she suddenly remembered a bit of a   
dream she had that night. It was only an image really; a woman   
holding the arm of a man, the both of them walking away from her,   
but that was all Kasumi could remember. Though it had been too   
dark to make the figures out clearly, she was sure the man had been   
Ranma.  
As she made ready for her bath, Kasumi chided herself for   
her foolishness. Obviously, what Akane had told her yesterday had   
had more of an effect than she had thought, enough to give her bad   
dreams. The night always seemed to make her small worries larger   
than they really were. Kind, gentle Ranma would make friends   
with just about anyone, but she really couldn't see it going any   
further with Akane. She simply wasn't his type.  
Immersing herself in the hot water, Kasumi could feel all of   
her worries and anxieties drift off with the steam. She shouldn't   
take everything to be a sign. It was still early morning; and the day   
before her could still be a good one. She might even see Ranma   
again while shopping. Then it would be a great day.  
  
Chapter 4: Morning in Four Different Households  
  
Ranma groaned as he reached for the alarm and shut off its   
annoying buzzing, almost falling right back asleep. He had stayed   
out far later than he had planned last night, not to mention the   
unexpected exercise routine. Nabiki had given him quite a   
workout.  
Ranma frowned at that thought as he stumbled out of bed.   
He knew his mother would take a comment like that the wrong   
way. She would never understand, even if he explained that the   
'workout' had been carrying Nabiki while running all over Nerima.   
Then he laughed. It sounded like just the sort of training idea his   
pop would come up with. Best not to mention it then, he didn't   
relish the idea of carrying his father all around town.  
He laughed again when he saw his now-completed   
homework on his desk, next to a note which read:  
  
"Dear brother,  
Here is your finished homework. I made sure to do it in   
your messy handwriting and get a couple answers wrong so the   
teacher won't suspect. Just drop your homework for the next week   
in my room.  
Love,  
Hitomi  
P.S. Thanks for not ruining the tux!"  
  
Ranma felt a touch guilty about their deal. It had been a   
strange night, even for him, but in the end he was glad he agreed to   
do it. It didn't seem right that Hitomi had to do his homework   
when he had fun. Still, the one thing Ranma hated most about   
school was the homework. Not having to do it for a week would   
be one burden off of his shoulders. Besides, his sister had a history   
of getting the better of him in the past, so he decided to enjoy his   
recent good fortune. He knew it wouldn't last.  
  
Akane nearly jumped out of bed, shutting off her alarm   
clock before it had the chance to beep. She threw back her curtain   
and smiled at the sunlight that poured down. Today would be a   
good day, she knew it.  
After all, she'd never have to fight those bozos before   
school again. From yesterday it was clear that they had truly given   
up on fighting her, not that they were given much choice. Even   
Kuno had done a reversal, now out to 'protect' her, rather than   
'challenge' her. She still didn't like that idea very much, but at least   
it was better than what it had been before.  
And there was one other person she had spent most of   
yesterday trying not to think about.  
Everyone Akane regularly associated with knew that the   
one thing she truly hated were boys. She didn't include the entire   
male gender in this. To her, there was a major difference between a   
boy and a man.  
A boy was rude, immature, selfish, annoying, perverted,   
and just about every negative adjective that she could think of.   
There was nothing at all redeemable about a boy, and the only   
thing a boy was good for was target practice.  
A man was almost a complete opposite; kind, mature,   
gentle, caring, selfless. In short, most of the good adjectives Akane   
could think of. Normally, Akane held Dr. Tofu as the paragon of   
everything it meant to be a man, but ever since yesterday the image   
of him that she held in her mind had been changing. His glasses   
vanished, and the gi he usually wore was replaced with a boy's   
uniform. His gentle smiled had somehow mutated into a roguish   
grin while his hair had suddenly become a pig-tail.  
Akane knew who she was really thinking about, though she   
was reluctant to even think his name. Was Ranma a boy to be   
hated, or a man to be... well, not hated, and perhaps even liked?  
Akane pushed this to the back of her mind as she readied   
herself for her morning jog. She'd have plenty of time to debate   
the issue while going through her normal circuit around the   
neighborhood. Though she couldn't stop herself thinking of   
Ranma's fights with Kuno, the boys at school, or even her own   
aborted match. She had never seen a martial artist move like that   
before; so graceful and quick, like he was made of water. It made   
her father seem slow and cumbersome by comparison, while   
herself...  
Ready for her jog, Akane picked up her hand weights as she   
rolled that thought around in her mind. Having exceeded Kuno's   
skill, she had never pushed herself further. She had thought herself   
one of the best martial artists of her generation, but it was clear that   
there was a sizable difference between Ranma's ability and her   
own. Besides, while the morning fights had been annoying, they   
had helped her keep in training. She'd need something in their   
absence.  
Putting on some leg weights she hadn't used for years,   
Akane smiled as she made a dash for the door, a dumbbell in each   
hand. She'd push herself to her limit. There was no way she was   
going to let a boy... or man get the better of her.  
  
Hitomi switched on her Mac. As she waited for it to boot   
up, she carefully tucked Ranma's tux away in her bag. She planned   
on returning it on the way to school, since she had to get it back to   
the rental place before noon to avoid an additional charge. It   
would only be a few yen more, but Hitomi saved money wherever   
she could.  
She smiled as she thought of her brother lying there so   
peacefully as she had crept into his room to set his homework on   
his desk. The fact that he'd been out so late with her sensei was a   
positive sign to Hitomi. She was sure that both of them had had a   
good time, though she frowned slightly at the thought that she   
would have known already if she hadn't fallen asleep right at the   
beginning of her brother's recounting. 'Pretty' and 'nice' was all that   
she could really remember, but it was enough to give Hitomi a   
warm feeling. Anyone could see at first glance that Nabiki was   
pretty, but most people thought of her as the very opposite of nice.   
One had to really get to know her to see how kind she could really   
be. Her brother had seen it though, which she assumed meant they   
had been quite close.  
Scanning her e-mail, Hitomi nearly broke her mouse in her   
eagerness to read the message there from her sensei.  
  
To: HitomiS@StHebereke.nerima.tokyo.jp  
From: TheQueenOf@Furinkan-hs.nerima.tokyo.jp  
Subject: The Big Date  
  
Hitomi,  
Thanks. Looks like I'm in your debt now. :)  
Come over for a visit soon and give you any details you   
couldn't weasel out of your brother.  
  
Nabiki  
  
Hitomi grabbed for her schedule as she made ready her   
reply. She'd have to visit her sensei tomorrow, she didn't think she   
could wait any longer than that. For Nabiki to say that she was in   
her debt, it must have gone even better than Hitomi had suspected.  
  
Kasumi hummed in thought as she started on breakfast.   
Something was a little off that morning, and this time it had   
nothing to do with her. Father was now starting on his daily   
practice. Akane had left for her morning jog. Nabiki had...  
That was it. Nabiki should be washing up at the moment,   
but Kasumi was sure that she hadn't heard the door to her room   
open.  
With a touch of worry, Kasumi approached the door to her   
sister's room. She had planned on staying awake to see Nabiki   
come home from her date all right, not to mention some gossip on   
how the date went, but she must have fallen asleep. Nabiki was a   
smart girl, but who knew what could happen to her alone at night,   
once the date was over?  
Kasumi smiled, leaning on the door frame, to see Nabiki   
sound asleep, the covers tucked firmly around her shoulders, her   
short hair in disarray. The red dress lay dumped unceremoniously   
on the floor next to a pair of high heels. Kasumi stared at the white   
carnation on her sister's desk for a few moments before collecting   
her earrings lying next to it and slowly shutting the door behind   
her.  
Nabiki had had a good time, if the smile on her face was   
any indication. Kasumi decided to let her sleep as late as she   
wanted to, even if that meant being tardy. She was sure she could   
come up with some explanation to tell father.  
Putting the earrings away, Kasumi smiled and made a   
mental note to spend time discussing the date with Nabiki. She   
wanted a few tips for when Ranma eventually asked her out.  
  
Ranma was only a little surprised to find a double helping   
of his normal breakfast waiting for him, which had been double   
what a normal person would eat to begin with. Even less   
surprising was his mother's grin and his father's frown.  
"How does the boy rate so much food?" Genma   
complained, looking down at his own 'meager' breakfast, which   
was more than what his wife and his daughter had before them   
combined.  
"Now, Dear," Nodoka chided him gently as she poured the   
tea. "Our son had a busy night last night, going on dates with all   
those girls. He needs to get back his strength."  
Ranma rolled his eyes. Last night it had been three. This   
afternoon she'd probably be telling her friends that he'd dated a   
dozen girls all at once. He didn't want to know what his mother   
thought he had been doing on all those dates.  
"But I'm hungry!" Genma whined to his wife as he   
stealthily used his chopsticks to steal one of Ranma's pickles.  
The pig-tailed boy tried to intercept his father, but his   
reaction time was a bit too slow, and the pickle ended up in his   
father's mouth. This didn't bother Ranma -- there was more than   
enough left even for his appetite -- but he wasn't going to let his   
father take the food from him without a fight. The first Saotome   
chopstick duel of the day had begun.  
Hitomi bumped her brother on the shoulder and whispered   
to him, "What does Mom mean by 'all those girls'?"  
Ranma whispered back while trying to counter his father, "I   
tried to explain it last night, but you fell asleep. What's the last   
thing you remember?"  
Hitomi thought for a moment. "I remember you and   
Nabiki-san getting to the restaurant, and then I guess I dozed off."  
Seeing his sister's mild embarrassment, Ranma favored her   
with a lop-sided grin. "I'll tell you what happened after school."  
"All right," Hitomi whispered. "But tell me one thing right   
now."  
"What?"  
"Did you have fun?"  
Ranma thought about it for a moment. Then he smiled and   
said, "Yes, I did."  
Hitomi smiled back. "I knew you would."  
  
"Don't think I'm going to go easy on you, boy, just because   
you were out late last night," Genma told his son as he finished the   
remains of his breakfast and went outside to begin their morning   
practice.  
"When have you ever gone easy on me, Pop?" Ranma   
snapped back. He just knew his father was upset about something,   
and that meant he'd be practically going all out in their morning's   
training. Still feeling tired -- though doing his best to hide it -- this   
was not something Ranma was looking forward to.  
"I'll teach you to respect your father, Ranma!" Genma   
shouted as he charged at his son.  
"I will as soon as you do something worth respecting, old   
man!" Ranma shouted back as he countered his father's attack and   
initiated one of his own.  
"What an ungrateful boy I've raised!" Genma lamented as   
he blocked the first attack, and flipped out of the way of the   
second. "I've sacrificed everything for you, Ranma!"  
Ranma leapt over his father's leg sweep, rolling out of the   
way of a punch that followed immediately after. "Right. You   
sacrifice everything to feed your fat face!"  
When he saw his father's expression flicker for a bit,   
Ranma knew that he had scored a hit with that one. He followed   
through with a cross-chop to the back. This blow connected, but   
Genma managed to roll away, negating some of its strength.  
"Fat? I'm pure muscle. You're going to wish this was fat   
the next time I hit you," Genma told him as he charged.  
"Next time? Got to hit me once first, old man," Ranma   
replied, meeting his father's charge head-on.  
For Ranma, it was more or less a typical morning.  
  
Nabiki groaned as she blindly grabbed for her alarm clock.   
She nearly shot out of bed when she saw what time it was. Being   
out late, no matter how much fun she'd had, was no excuse for   
waking at this time of day. Putting a call to one of her factors to   
take care of business for her, she snatched up her things and made   
a dive for the furo. Only the sight of the white carnation stopped   
her.  
With a smile, she gently picked it up, inhaling it's sweet   
fragrance. She frowned though to see how wilted it looked now.   
Carefully setting the flower back down, she searched her room for   
something to put it in. The best she could find was an old mug she   
had made for home ec once, but it would have to do. Quickly   
filling it with water from the bathroom sink, she dropped the stem   
in and set it by her window so it could catch some of the bright   
sunlight.  
Nabiki knew she was being silly. No amount of water or   
sunlight could prevent this carnation from wilting away, but she   
felt like she had to try. It was another way of preserving the   
memory of her first real date.  
It had hardly been the most romantic date in the world, but   
Nabiki had still had a good time, especially with the mad chase   
afterwards. Something like that had never happened to her before,   
the thrill of the escape, not to mention the cozy place in Ranma's   
arms. Socking the Karate Queen good was almost the highlight of   
her evening. She could finally understand why Akane was so   
focused on martial arts. The adrenaline surge that came from the   
risk of danger, the rapture of victory.  
The real joy of the evening though came from just being   
around Ranma. She wasn't fooling herself, it wasn't love at first   
sight or anything, but what she did feel was well... freedom. The   
freedom to act however she felt without worrying about the   
consequences. She liked Ranma so she was playful with him, even   
flirting with him, which seemed to bring out a certain naiveté in the   
pig-tailed boy that Nabiki found much too cute. It was a way that   
she could never act at school or around her friends.  
*I'll have to make sure to see him again soon,* she thought   
with a grin as she made her way to the furo.  
  
Akane took a deep breath as she leaned on the door to the   
Tendo home. The added weight, combined with a faster pace and a   
longer route, had been a little more than she had expected. She had   
gone from full of energy to nearly exhausted, and she still had   
school to worry about.  
Akane moved towards the furo like a thirsty man towards   
an oasis, ignoring everything around her, even her sister's things at   
the entrance. She always liked a nice bath after her morning   
workout, but this time she was more in need of it than ever.  
"Nabiki?" she said with some surprise, perking up at   
finding her sister occupying the furo. Nabiki should have already   
left for school by now after a quick washing. It was odd for her to   
use the furo in the morning like this. "What are you still doing   
here?"  
"Overslept," Nabiki replied with a sleepy grin, relaxing in   
the warm water. "Out late last night."  
"One of your money-making schemes?" Akane asked as she   
began to wash herself down.  
"Something like that." For some reason, she felt reluctant   
telling her sister that she'd been on a date with Ranma. She hadn't   
missed the fact that her sister had had lunch with him two days in a   
row -- it was one of the biggest pieces of gossip around school at   
the moment -- that and Kuno's recent odd behavior. Nabiki even   
considered starting a betting pool on whether they would have   
lunch again, and if so whether they would make it through   
peacefully or not.  
Nabiki still didn't know what the deal was with her sister   
and Ranma, and it seemed that no one knew, perhaps not even   
Akane herself. Nabiki had thought about asking Ranma about it   
during their date, but somehow it had slipped her mind. Besides,   
she had wanted Ranma focusing on her, and not her sister.  
Nabiki thought of asking Akane herself, and frowned   
slightly. Akane wouldn't tell her. Nabiki had once sold a secret   
her sister had told her in elementary school and Akane had refused   
to trust her since. It irked Nabiki that her own sister didn't trust   
her; it irked her even more that Akane had every reason not to.   
Nabiki probably would sell her secrets to the highest bigger. She   
couldn't resist making a profit, even when she tried.  
Akane had probably already told Kasumi, but Nabiki knew   
that she'd never get it out of her older sister. She couldn't use   
tactics she'd use on most people, and those methods that Nabiki   
could use weren't at all effective on Kasumi. She was very good at   
keeping secrets. Nabiki still hadn't found her older sister's diary --   
she had seen her writing in it once when they were both still little --   
and she had been trying to find that for a long time. Not to sell, she   
wouldn't know who to sell it to anyway, but just to know. Some   
key to unlock the mystery of her elder sister.  
"You okay?" Akane asked with some concern, snapping   
Nabiki out of her daze.  
Nabiki blinked at her sister peering closely back at her.   
Just because Akane didn't trust her any more didn't mean she still   
didn't care for her. Nabiki still remembered the time when a group   
of bullies were going to beat her up over the money she'd been   
leeching from them for months. Akane had been there with her   
and immediately faced them down, despite their superior numbers.   
One of them made the grave mistake of calling Akane a little girl   
and insulting her abilities as a martial artist. That was the only   
time she had seen her sister truly mad. It made what she did to her   
'fans' every morning look like an act of irritation.  
Nabiki smiled. "I'm fine, Akane. Just still a bit sleepy, I   
guess."  
  
Kyoko groaned and blearily looked around for the source of   
the noise that had awakened her. She stared at the phone with   
something akin to resignation before picking up the receiver.  
"Moshi, moshi," she said sleepily.  
"Oh, Kyoko-chan, did I wake you up?"  
Kyoko blinked at the sound of Nabiki's voice and hastily   
explained, "No, no! There's just something wrong with my phone   
that makes me sound like I just woke up sometimes! In fact, I just   
finished breakfast this minute!"  
Kyoko did not want to let her boss know that she was late   
for school, and she especially didn't want her to know the reason   
why she had slept late. She had a feeling that Nabiki wouldn't like   
the idea of her having interfered with the date, even if it had been   
in her boss's best interests.  
"All right. I'm running a little late myself, so I was   
wondering if you could handle everything at school until I get   
there?"  
"Sure, no problem!" Kyoko said with growing excitement.   
Nabiki really must trust her to give her such a responsibility. "I'll   
take care of everything!"  
"Good, good. Well, bye--"  
"Sempai!" Kyoko said suddenly.  
"Yes, what is it?"  
Kyoko blushed in embarrassment when she realized that   
she had interrupted her boss. Nabiki didn't seem mad, but Kyoko   
made a mental note not to do so in the future anyway. "Oh, I was   
just wondering how your date went, that's all."  
"I was on a date with a martial artist who can't go five   
minutes without getting into trouble. How do you think it went?"  
Kyoko grinned, glad that her boss couldn't see her at the   
moment. "Sorry about that," she replied, not sounding very sorry   
to even her own ears. "But at least you won't have to worry about   
your business this morning. I'll handle everything."  
Nabiki thanked her and they said their good-byes. Kyoko   
hung up the phone and immediately picked it up again. She had to   
contact the other factors to set everything up, not to mention   
calling a taxi to pick her up after what would be the fastest   
breakfast in history.  
  
Soun Tendo left the dojo after his light morning workout,   
feeling renewed, refreshed, but mostly hungry. He couldn't wait   
for the wonderful meal he knew his eldest daughter had prepared   
for him. Once again, Soun reflected on how truly blessed he was   
to have three daughters, each wonderful in her own way. They   
almost made up for the absence of his dear departed wife.  
Soun shook away such melancholy thoughts as he entered   
the house proper. Mornings weren't time for such feelings, and   
besides, he had to wear a happy face for his daughters, no matter   
what his current feelings might be.  
"Good morning, Father," Kasumi said to him as he entered   
the living room.  
"Good morning, Kasumi," he replied, sitting down as she   
finished setting everything for breakfast. Soun couldn't help   
noticing that there were five place settings instead of the normal   
three for breakfast. One setting was always made to honor his   
departed wife, though it was something that Soun tried not to think   
about too much.  
"Kasumi, why are you setting the table for five?" he asked   
casually as he unrolled his newspaper. He knew Kasumi always   
ate early with Nabiki, and it would be odd to have guests he didn't   
know about.  
"We all wanted to have breakfast with our daddy for once,"   
came a voice from behind him. "Is that so wrong?"  
"No, of course not," Soun answered Nabiki, turning around   
to see her coming down the stairs with Akane. He couldn't help it,   
immediately he started to bawl. "Oh, what wonderful daughters I   
have!"  
"Oh, Father," Kasumi gently chided him.  
"Mou," Nabiki said with a small frown as she and Akane   
took their places at the table. "Dad, you don't have to make such a   
big deal out of it. I mean, we have dinner together almost every   
night,"  
"I know, it's just..." Soun started to say as he wiped away   
his tears. "That you're all just so wonderful to me that I can't help   
it!"  
The Tendo daughters all frowned slightly as Soun began to   
wail once again. Even though it was a common sight for them,   
they still all despaired over their sometimes overly emotional   
father.  
  
Min-Lin's morning was mostly a series of bounces. She   
bounced out of bed, bounced into the furo, bounced back into her   
room to get dressed, and bounced into the living room to have   
breakfast with her parents. Even then she was practically bouncing   
in her seat, all the while there was a large smile on her face.  
Min-Lin's mother and father exchanged confused looks,   
something they were somewhat used to doing after their daughter   
had finally returned from China. They had visited her many times   
during her twelve-year training, but that was in the Amazon   
village, where Min-Lin was in her element. It had left them   
unprepared on what it would be like to try to raise their daughter   
alone in Japan.  
Min-Lin's habit of waking at the crack of dawn to engage in   
very loud combat practice -- complete with yelling and the   
smashing of perfectly good construction materials -- was not only   
troublesome to parents who needed their sleep, but to the neighbors   
as well, who, while normally very hospitable, complained very   
loudly on this issue. Sleep and sake being precious to the salary   
man.  
Even more troublesome to the parents was the way that   
their daughter attracted boys and men in swarms as thick as   
mayflies in spring. They might have told Min-Lin that they were   
sending her to St. Hebereke so she could learn to be more Japanese   
quickly, but in reality they just wanted her at an all-girl's school for   
their own piece of mind.  
This is perhaps the worry of every parent who has an   
attractive young daughter, but in this case it wasn't a matter of   
avoiding teenage pregnancy, this was a matter of avoiding getting   
every over-eager boy sent to the hospital. Min-Lin's parents fully   
believed that their daughter had a right to defend herself. Her   
mother was a proud Amazon and her father a martial artist of no   
small ability, but Min-Lin often took this to extremes, responding   
to the boys' advances by gleefully breaking their arms or smacking   
them hard in the head with the bo staff that she practiced with.   
What was worse was their daughter seemed to actually encourage   
these advances, using the boys in place of practice dummies.  
They really wished that they had been able to convince her   
friend Shampoo to come to Japan with them, but the girl had no   
interest in leaving the Amazon village. Though friend was perhaps   
not the right word, it seemed that the two of them couldn't go five   
minutes without engaging in some form of combat. Min-Lin was   
always all smiles during these exercises, but Shampoo hardly   
looked like she was having a good time. There also seemed to be   
some bad blood between the two great-grandmothers who had been   
training the girls which made such a thing impossible. Neither   
parent was brave or foolish enough to stand up to one of them,   
much less both.  
The only other solution Min-Lin's parents could find was to   
keep their daughter as busy as possible. They sent her to school   
with juku afterwards to help her catch up with the rest of the class.   
They gave her a part-time job, which had the added benefit of   
helping out with the finances. All this combined with her daily   
practice ate up the majority of her day and kept her mostly out of   
trouble. It would do at least until the mother could get in contact   
with her grandmother, who was currently busy hunting down her   
husband. Both parents knew that that would take a while.  
Because of this, Min-Lin was usually less than eager to   
begin the day. While she liked the job they had gotten her, she   
hated school and loathed the juku, frequently taking out her   
frustrations with these in her morning training. Their daughter   
nearly always seemed happy, but her parents could tell when she   
truly was happy or not. They knew, however, that despite their   
daughter not seeing any use for these things as an Amazon, they   
were needed for the Japanese woman that she also was.  
This morning she was definitely happy. She radiated a joy   
that would make a miser give all his wealth to charity.  
"Did something happen at work, dear?" her mother asked,   
attempting to discover the source of all this happiness.  
Min-Lin nodded eagerly, the smile never leaving her face.   
"I see Ranma last night at restaurant!" she yelled and giggled.  
Mrs. Sakamoto knew that her daughter had to be really   
excited. The only times her Japanese slipped was due to extreme   
emotion. She turned to her husband and asked, "Do you know who   
this 'Ranma' person is?"  
Mr. Sakamoto thought for a moment. "Genma has a son   
named Ranma, doesn't he? Didn't we stay with the Saotomes for a   
time when Min-Lin was still little?"  
"That was when my grandfather came back to train you,   
wasn't it?"  
Mr. Sakamoto smirked. "Don't remind me. I still think I   
have the bruises from back then."  
He was startled when his daughter leapt over the breakfast   
table and grabbed him by the shirt. Mr. Sakamoto was her father   
and an accomplished martial artist, but even he was a little   
frightened by the intense stare that Min-Lin was currently giving   
him.  
"You know Ranma's father?" she asked, tugging at his shirt.  
He very slowly nodded.  
"We must go visit Ranma's house!" Her tone left no room   
for argument. He realized that Min-Lin was much like her mother   
when she wanted something, and as when he dealt with his wife, he   
didn't seem to even have the option of saying no.  
"That's sounds like a good idea," Mrs. Sakamoto said   
suddenly. "I haven't seen Nodoka for years, and it would be nice to   
make a little trip out of it this weekend."  
The father looked back and forth from his wife to daughter,   
breathed a smile sigh and said, "All right, I'll talk to Genma about   
it at work today."  
"Yatta!" Min-Lin shouted, doing a backflip away from him,   
picking up her school bag, and another backflip out the door.  
Her parents blinked at each other in surprise.  
  
Once Soun had settled down again, the Tendos all started   
on their breakfast, along with a little conversation. The Tendo   
sisters found their father to be surprisingly talkative that day,   
especially since he usually just stuck his head in the newspaper and   
said little.  
"So Akane, Nabiki," he spoke to them with a show of   
casualness. "How are things going in school?"  
Nabiki frowned slightly, feeling a little suspicious. She   
couldn't recall their father having asked about school for years   
now. He could be hinting that he had found out about her business   
activities, but no way was their father that subtle.  
"Everything is fine, Dad," Akane assured him with perhaps   
a little more force than was needed. She was worried that he had   
found out about the recent morning fights and would raise a stink   
about it. Even though they were over now, her father could still   
cause her a lot of trouble about it.  
"Good, good," Soun replied, acting as if he hadn't even   
been listening to her. "So... how are you getting along with the   
boys at school?"  
"The boys there are all idiots!" Akane said without even   
thinking about it.  
"Good!" Soun exclaimed, sounding very pleased with this   
response.  
"Good?" Nabiki queried, one eyebrow raised.  
Soun was immediately flustered and struggled to come up   
with some sort of explanation. "Well, good in a sense that...   
Kasumi, you know what I'm trying to say, don't you?"  
Kasumi blinked at finding the question suddenly redirected   
at her. She thought for a moment before saying, "Father, are you   
trying to say that it's good that Akane hasn't formed close   
relationships with boys because she's too young to be thinking of a   
serious relationship now?"  
It was Soun's turn to blink, then he started to smile. "That's   
exactly what I meant --"  
He blinked again when Kasumi cut him off, saying with   
some small show of emotion, "Because if that is what you're   
saying, I think that you're wrong. Akane needs to realize that not   
all boys are driven solely by their hormones if she is to ever hope   
of having a serious relationship at all."  
Soun was a little taken aback by the vehemence in the voice   
of his eldest daughter, but then so was everyone else. Kasumi   
blushed a bit in embarrassment when she realized everyone was   
looking back at her wide-eyed.  
"Way to go, sis," Nabiki said, the first to get over her   
surprise.  
This only caused Kasumi to blush more.  
Akane was still mostly in shock. She had no idea how to   
respond to what Kasumi had just said. She had always thought her   
big sister right in everything, but Akane thought Kasumi was a bit   
off in this case. All boys were driven by their hormones, she had   
seen plenty of evidence to prove that; it was only when some of   
them became men that it ceased to be the driving factor of their   
lives. Some, probably most, would never pass the boy stage. She   
had a hard time believing that those boys who had once tried to   
fight her at school would ever change.  
Realizing that everyone else was looking at her, Akane   
finally said in a timid voice, "I don't think that all boys are jerks,   
just most of the ones at school."  
Nabiki, noticing that this reply didn't seem to satisfy either   
their father or their elder sister, gave Akane a friendly smile and   
said, "You're right, most of the boys at school are jerks. Who   
knows what kind of perverted stuff they'd try to pull on a date? It's   
much better to beat them up, right?" Nabiki made a fist to   
demonstrate.  
Akane laughed suddenly, and the small degree of tension   
around the table seemed to evaporate.  
"I didn't mean anything by it, Akane," Soun explained.   
"Daddy is just trying to watch out for his daughters. I want you all   
to be happy."  
"We know, father, and we appreciate it," Kasumi told him   
with a small smile. "But you don't need to worry about us, we're   
happy as we are now."  
As their father started to blubber again, Nabiki noticed a   
small flicker in her big sister's expression. It was only there for a   
moment so it was hard to tell what it had meant.  
"Oh, everyone is finished with breakfast already," Kasumi   
announced, looking around the table. "Nabiki, will you help me   
with the dishes?"  
Nabiki had been lost in thought for a moment, so blinked in   
surprise when she realized what Kasumi had asked her. Her older   
sister had never needed help with the dishes before. Nabiki nearly   
gasped in astonishment when she saw Kasumi wink at her. With   
the strange morning she was having, she began to wonder if she   
were still dreaming.  
"Yeah, Sis, no problem," Nabiki told her a bit shakily as   
she helped gathering up the dishes. It was just plain bizarre to see   
her open and honest sister act so... sneaky all of the sudden.  
"Thank you," Kasumi said with a smile.  
"I'll help too, Kasumi," Akane added quickly, starting to   
help them gather the dishes.  
Kasumi frowned slightly. "Oh, you shouldn't, Akane.   
Nabiki will be more than enough help and you don't want to be late   
for school. I know how you like to get there early."  
"But what about Nabiki?" Akane countered, a little   
disappointed that her big sister didn't want her help; she probably   
thought all the dishes would end up broken or something.  
"Yes," Soun said eagerly. "Akane, Nabiki, you both run   
along to school. You wouldn't want to be late. I'll help Kasumi   
with the dishes."  
Nabiki noticed Kasumi frown again, and said quickly, "I'll   
still have plenty of time to get to school before the bell. It won't   
take that long for the both of us to do the dishes. Besides, no   
offense Daddy, but you're as clumsy in the kitchen as Akane. If we   
let you do the dishes, we won't have anything to eat on for   
breakfast tomorrow."  
Akane watched her father start to wail yet again, this time   
about not being trusted with the dishes, sighed, grabbed her school   
bag, and went out the door. She knew that she'd have to overcome   
her innate clumsiness if Kasumi was ever going to let her near the   
kitchen again. *Maybe... maybe Ranma could help me with that.*  
  
Half of the boys arrived at school early. This wasn't due to   
any eagerness for education. Many grumbled at having to wake up   
at such an hour, but they knew they had no choice. They had to   
plan. They had to find some way of defeating the one obstacle   
between them and happiness: Ranma Saotome. Bad enough he   
had exclusive rights to Akane Tendo, but many of the other girls at   
school had become interested in him as well. There were even   
rumors that Nabiki Tendo, of all people, had been seen on a date   
with him. While no one actually believed that, it was just another   
sign that the arrival of Ranma had significantly reduced their   
chances of getting a girlfriend.  
The solution was clear: Ranma had to be dealt with. How   
to do it was their current problem. Ganging up on him and beating   
him out of school was already out. Some still had the bruises to   
prove how ineffective that was.  
"How about we tar and feather 'em?" one kid suggested.  
"We don't have any tar or feathers."  
"Oh, right."  
"Too bad Kuno turned traitor on us. He's great at running   
people off."  
"Yeah, most people will do anything to get away from his   
boring speeches."  
"I... might be able to something," Gosunkugi spoke up   
somewhat hesitantly. He knew that the only reason the other boys   
tolerated his presence was because he could get them pictures of   
Akane Tendo for much less than what they'd have to pay Nabiki.   
Of course, he didn't tell them that he sold all the good pictures to   
Nabiki, who in turn resold them at inflated prices.  
"What you going to do, give him the old voodoo spike?"   
one of the boys teased as the others laughed.  
Gosunkugi shrugged. "I could try. We just can't leave   
Akane in the hands of that... fool Saotome!"  
"Gosunkugi is right. It's worth a try. If he is able to put the   
voodoo on Ranma, then we could beat on him and he wouldn't be   
able to fight back."  
"Isn't that a little unethical?" another boy asked, ignoring   
the fact that ganging up on him all at once wasn't exactly fair play   
either.  
"We must be willing to do anything for Akane Tendo! Are   
you with me?"  
"Yes!" the rest of the boys shouted back.  
  
"Okay, now can you tell me what's going on?" Nabiki asked   
her sister in mild confusion once they had brought all the dishes   
into the kitchen and started washing them. "I've never seen you act   
so sneaky before."  
Kasumi giggled a bit, much to Nabiki's surprise. "I just   
wanted to hear a little about your date before you went to school,   
and I didn't think you'd want father or Akane to overhear. I am   
keeping you from school, though; you can go along now. I don't   
really need help with the dishes, and I can always hear about your   
date after school."  
"Not after you went through all that trouble," Nabiki told   
her, washing a dish and handing it to Kasumi. "Besides, like I told   
father, I have plenty of time before the bell rings."  
"But what about your business?" Kasumi asked, drying the   
dish and putting it away.  
Nabiki smirked. "You know about that?"  
"Well, the walls are thin between our two rooms, so it's   
sometimes hard not to overhear some of your phone conversations.   
Besides, I've noticed that you sometimes buy things over what you   
get for an allowance. I thought you were just saving your money at   
first, but... well, I was relieved to find out that you weren't stealing   
or anything."  
Nabiki frowned a bit. There were some people who did   
consider what she did stealing. Kasumi, with her high moral   
standard, might think so too. Nabiki decided it was time to change   
the subject.  
"My business is fine. I called one of my assistants to take   
care of everything for me. Besides, what you really want to hear   
about is the date."  
"Yes," Kasumi admitted with a light blush.  
Nabiki didn't say anything right away. She only stared at   
the dish she was washing for a while and thought on just how she   
should tell Kasumi about this. It wasn't the same as with Akane,   
since her big sister didn't even know Ranma, but... well, as far as   
Nabiki could tell, Kasumi had never been on a date herself before.   
Unless she did have a secret boyfriend, but that seemed even more   
unlikely now by the very eagerness Kasumi had for hearing about   
this.  
Nabiki wanted to give Kasumi a good impression about   
dating and she had to admit that from an outsider's perspective the   
date might sound horrible. Nabiki doubted that it would be   
Kasumi's idea of a good time.  
*Hmm, maybe if I just tell it like I think Kasumi would   
want to hear...* She wasn't planning on lying, just telling the   
events with a certain spin on them. She'd done it often enough in   
business that it was almost second nature by now. Nabiki was also   
a bit reluctant to mention Ranma by name. There was the small   
chance that Kasumi might tell Akane, but she was more worried   
about her big sister trying to play match-maker or something. She   
did have an odd way of looking out for her siblings. Nabiki   
wanted to deal with Ranma on her own terms.  
"Well, I met him under a street lamp by the park. He was   
dressed in a tux and gave me a white carnation to pin to my dress."  
"Oh, and was he handsome?" Kasumi asked, not making   
eye contact, instead focusing on drying the dish in her hands.   
Nabiki couldn't help noticing her sister's blush or the fact that the   
dish was already as dry as it could possibly be.  
"Yeah, I guess," Nabiki said off-handily. "I wouldn't go out   
with a guy I couldn't stand to look at, at least. He definitely had... a   
certain charm to him, I guess. I took his arm and we walked to the   
restaurant just as the moon was starting to come out."  
"You took his arm?" Kasumi asked with some surprise.  
Nabiki grinned. "Well, I am a take-charge kind of girl. I   
guess I wanted to show him just who was boss right from the   
start." She didn't want to admit that she had been disappointed   
when he hadn't taken hers. *Hmm, guess I have a soft spot for   
some of this cheesy romantic stuff too.*  
"We arrived at the restaurant and were shown to our table,   
which was by the windows so we had a view of the park, though   
honestly I didn't spend much time admiring it. The place was quiet   
and dimly lit. I was about to sit down, when my date rushed over   
to my side of the table and held my chair out for me."  
"Oh, my. How chivalrous of him."  
Nabiki blushed a bit. "Yeah, I guess it was nice of him. He   
was bit nervous so we didn't really talk until the waitress arrived."   
Nabiki paused, wondering if she could mention Min-Lin or   
not, especially her connection with Ranma.  
"And what happened next?" Kasumi prompted after a few   
moments of silence.  
"The waitress came and took our orders. She was a bit...   
irritating, but we both managed to endure her company until she   
left. We talked about a few things, nothing important, and then our   
waitress sat down with us. I guess she was trying to be friendly,   
but..."  
"But you could hardly feel comfortable with her there,   
right?"  
Nabiki was surprised at the amount of anger that suddenly   
flared up at the thought of Min-Lin butting in like that. Nabiki   
finally got to go an a real date and that... Amazon bimbo had to try   
and ruin it. She managed to control her reaction though, only   
showing a small frown.  
"I don't know," Nabiki said honestly. "Either she really   
didn't know or pretended that she didn't."  
It took only a few moments for Kasumi to catch on. "Don't   
tell me she was actually... flirting with your date?" she asked,   
outraged.  
"Apparently, he and she were old friends that hadn't seen   
each other for a long time, and she had been in the boonies of   
China for most of her life, so it might not have been intentional,"   
Nabiki said, admitting more than she had planned.  
"Still, that's no excuse for such... inappropriate behavior.   
Did your date do anything about it?"  
"No, but the waitress didn't really give him a chance. She   
was sort of pushy. He did apologize after she had left though. I   
could tell that he really felt bad about it too."  
"There's that, but he should have done something from the   
beginning. He should have told her right away that he was on a   
date with you and she should really just leave the both of you   
alone."  
Nabiki smirked to herself. She knew now that the idea   
Kasumi had a secret boyfriend was pure fantasy, since she didn't   
seem to understand men that well at all. "Well, in his defense, the   
waitress didn't give him the option."  
Kasumi nodded, acting as if the issue were settled. "What   
happened next?"  
  
Akane couldn't help noticing the large group of boys   
gathered near the school gates. She mentally readied herself for a   
sudden attack as she walked past, but none of them seemed to   
notice her, instead focusing on whatever they were doing. She was   
curious about what was going on, but didn't want to get any closer   
to them to find out.  
Akane shrugged. For once, she doubted it had anything to   
do with her, and decided that she'd just better get to class.  
  
Gosunkugi hid behind one of the bushes along the way to   
school, Ranma voodoo doll in one hand, scissors in the other. He   
had done everything he could to capture the essence of his chief   
rival for Akane's heart, right down to the smug grin on his face.   
Now there was only one component missing to make the magic   
work; a lock of hair from the victim. Something Gosunkugi was   
waiting to remedy.  
Ranma walked down the street towards the school, head   
down, not really paying attention to the world around him. His   
mind was entirely focused on two girls, Akane and Nabiki. Two   
very different girls. The first seemed to be all emotion, one minute   
angry, the next sad, the next laughing. While the other seemed to   
hold her emotions closer to her, using them when they suited her   
purposes. In fact, the only thing they had in common was they   
confused the heck out of him. There was something else,   
something just on the edge of his memory...  
Ranma instinctively dodged out of the way as a kid burst   
from the bushes as he passed, and came around with a kick to the   
small of the back of his assailant. He dropped into a combat stance   
and waiting for the next attack to come.  
Only it didn't, not even after several moments had passed.   
His opponent lay on the ground, unmoving. Ranma cautiously   
approached him, just in case it was some sort of trick. He lightly   
kicked the boy in the leg, eliciting a groan from the fallen figure.  
Ranma relaxed slightly and asked, "Hey, are you okay   
there?"  
There was a muffled "no" in response. The boy rolled over   
so he could stare up at the sky, his face scratched from where he   
had hit the sidewalk. His eyes slowly moved to look at Ranma,   
though his head remained still. "Why?" the boy croaked out.   
"Why did you kick me?"  
"You weren't trying to ambush me or something?"  
The boy replied very slowly, as if he was having a hard   
time talking. "Do I look like someone who could hope to ambush   
you?"  
Ranma looked over his 'opponent' and realized that he had a   
point. The kid was out of shape; rail-thin, bony, and had bags   
under his eyes. The kind of person a mild breeze could knock   
over.  
"Geez, I'm really sorry about that," Ranma told him as he   
helped the boy to his feet. "Just when you burst out of the bushes   
like that, I thought you were trying to attack me, that's all. Why did   
you do that anyway?"  
Gosunkugi thought quickly. "I was looking for something I   
dropped... when a cat startled me."  
Ranma swallowed. He seemed almost afraid of something.   
"A c..cat, huh? You don't suppose it's still there, do you?"  
Gosunkugi grinned, but since his head was down, Ranma   
couldn't see it. "I don't know. You could check if you want to."  
"No, that's okay," Ranma replied nervously. "I'm sure it's   
gone."  
"Wait, isn't that it right there?" Gosunkugi said suddenly,   
pointing into the bushes.  
"Where?" Ranma asked, peering at the bushes with   
something akin to fear.  
Gosunkugi used this distraction to snip off a bit of Ranma's   
hair and slip it into his pocket.  
"Must have been a leaf or something," Gosunkugi said,   
trying to sound casual. "I've got to get to school now. I've got   
some... things I need to do before homeroom."  
Gosunkugi started to walk away, when Ranma said, "Wait!   
Look, I'm really sorry about knocking you down like that. What   
can I do to make it up to you?"  
*You can leave Akane to me, you bully.* "No, it's really   
no problem! It was just an accident!" Gosunkugi shouted as he   
practically ran away.  
  
Gosunkugi was sure that his magic, which had yet to work   
properly even once, would succeed this time. He had followed the   
instructions in the ancient tome to the letter, even so far as filling   
the doll with catnip to attract the mischievous spirit of the neko-  
kami, a female deity known for her vengefulness.  
The boys were all gathered around him as he added the   
finishing touches, like little buttons on the doll's shirt.  
"You're pretty good at making dolls, Gosunkugi," one of   
the boys commented with a laugh. "That looks just like Ranma."  
"Why thank you," Gosunkugi replied, not realizing he was   
being insulted.  
"This better work," another boy said. "Getting beaten up by   
Ranma is a lot worse than getting beaten up by Akane."  
"Yeah," yet another boy interjected. "If I'm going to get   
beat up, I want a girl to do it."  
While the other boys looked at the last to speak as if he had   
suddenly changed into Kuno, Gosunkugi said, "This voodoo doll is   
one hundred percent guaranteed to work. With it I'll be able to   
control Saotome's every action. Just need to add the final   
ingredient, a lock of hair... there. It's done!"  
"All right, once you've got control of him, we'll all jump   
him. Make him do something as a signal."  
"Like what?"  
"Have him punch himself in the face!" one boy jumped in.  
The other boys all nodded, grinning.  
  
Gosunkugi smiled from his hiding place behind the tree as   
he watched the approach of the pig-tailed boy. He had no idea   
what was about to hit him.  
Ranma was just thinking how the school yard was oddly   
empty for this time of day, when, seemingly of its own free will,   
his right hand came up and smacked him in the face. "What the--  
?"  
"Get him!" a boy shouted as he leapt from his hiding place   
and started to Ranma. A dozen others followed his example.  
Ranma tried to drop into a combat stance to ready himself   
for them, but he couldn't move. It was like his body was frozen   
below the neck.  
  
Nabiki finally arrived a school just in time to witness a   
shocking sight. Ranma was having a brawl with the ex- 'let's beat   
up Akane to date her' fanclub. That wasn't what was so surprising.   
Actually, she would have been surprised if it hadn't happened.  
The really strange thing was Ranma wasn't fighting back.   
He was just standing there as still as a statue and just taking   
whatever the boys were dishing out. She could tell by the   
expression on his face that he wasn't at all happy about it so she   
really doubted that he was doing so intentionally.  
Nabiki kept one eye on the fight as she walked to the   
school. Half-way there, Kyoko raced over to her, nearly out of   
breath from running.  
"Sempai!" she said after a small gasp. "I set up all the bets   
as soon as I heard about this fight, but I never expected Ranma to   
lose! I thought when the boys all bet heavily on themselves that   
they were just being overconfident as usual."  
Nabiki didn't seem the least bit bothered by the potential   
loss of revenue as she continued to study the fight. "Any idea why   
Ranma isn't fighting back, Kyoko-chan?"  
Kyoko was startled for a moment, but quickly recovered.   
She should have known that her boss wouldn't panic like she was   
doing. "Someone overheard one of the boys saying that Gosunkugi   
was going to put some kind of magic spell on Ranma, but I just   
dismissed it as some kind of joke. I mean, everyone knows that   
there's no such thing as magic. Besides, all Gosunkugi is good for   
is making a fool of himself."  
Nabiki hmmed in contemplation. "From the look on his   
face, I doubt Ranma is just standing there because he wants to.   
Something is stopping him from fighting back, at least. Maybe   
they slipped him a drug or something."  
Nabiki seemed to come to a decision and told her assistant.   
"I'm going to look for Gosunkugi and find out what he knows   
about this. You do your best to run damage control here until I get   
back."  
"But... how?" Kyoko asked, feeling very out of her element   
at the moment. The first time the boss really trusted her and she   
had already screwed up once.  
"I'm sure you'll think of something, Kyoko-chan," Nabiki   
said with a wink, before going off in search of Gosunkugi.  
"Hai, sempai," Kyoko replied, stars in her eyes.  
  
From the shade of a nearby tree, Kuno watched the fight   
intently. He was dressed in his usual kendo get up and held a   
bokken in one hand, but in the place of his normal rose was   
another bokken. He had stood and started to approach Ranma   
when he saw the other boy enter the school yard. No doubt the   
younger boy was eager to begin his first lesson from the great   
Tatewaki Kuno. It would be wrong of Kuno to keep him waiting   
long.  
That was when the boys had rushed out of their hiding   
places and attacked. Kuno frowned immediately: not over the   
delay in training, though that was displeasing enough, but over the   
cowardly way in which they fought, like bandits who lie in wait for   
innocent travelers. Yet it would be wrong of Kuno to interfere in   
another's battle.  
Kuno pondered what to do as the fight progressed. At first   
he had assumed that Ranma was attempting some subtle martial   
arts technique, but as he continued to stand stock still and take their   
kicks and punches, Kuno had the growing suspicion that there was   
some trickery afoot.  
*Perhaps my twisted sister has had some hand in this.* He   
knew his sister could formulate concoctions that could turn a man   
into a statue for hours on end; she had tested them on him on   
occasion. He shook his head after a moment though. Kodachi had   
no reason to help these boys or act against Ranma.  
Kuno found himself stuck as surely as Ranma was, but in a   
quandary. Clearly, the boys had used some devious means against   
their opponent. His budo demanding that he take the side of the   
one unable to defend himself. But his budo also demanded that he   
not interfere in the battles of another samurai unless his aid was   
specifically asked for. What to do? What to do?  
  
Kyoko had found the beating that Ranma was taking had   
worn off its initial amusement for her. Instead, she was irritated,   
mostly with him since he was making her look bad in front of her   
boss. She had do something to help, though the idea of helping   
Ranma, who was quickly becoming the symbol of everything she   
hated about men, was more than repellent to her. Nabiki had asked   
her to do something and that was that.  
Kyoko grinned as an idea suddenly formed in her mind. It   
was a way to solve two problems at once. She ran up to the group   
and threw out a fistful of photographs, shouting, "Free pictures!"  
"Free photos of Akane!" the boys shouted and immediately   
forgot about the fight, instead focusing their efforts on getting as   
many of the falling pictures as possible.  
Kyoko used this opportunity to question Ranma directly.   
She walked up to him and asked in an angry tone. "Why aren't you   
fighting back?"  
Ranma blinked and stared at the girl who had just saved   
him, at least temporally. But why was she so concerned about   
him? He'd seen her in his class, but didn't know her name. He   
knew that she was one of the girls that hadn't shown any interest in   
him in one way or another, so why would she care if he got beaten   
up or not? Even the girls that were interested in him usually   
wanted to see him fight.  
"Well?" Kyoko prompted, tapping her foot impatiently.  
"I can't move my body below the neck for some reason,"   
Ranma told her, embarrassed to explain his weakness to another.   
Whatever was keeping him still though was also preventing the   
boys' kicks and punches from hurting him. Their hits felt feather   
light even though he could tell that they were really trying their   
best to hurt him. Ranma would have much rather taken those hits   
though as long as he could fight back. Being forced to stand there   
and do nothing was almost shameful for him.  
*Then why is he still on his feet?* Kyoko wondered. *The   
boys should have knocked him to the ground by now.* She shoved   
his chest hard, but it was like trying to push down a brick wall.   
Even though his chest was as nearly as hard as one, she didn't think   
he could remain completely still even from her own relatively weak   
shove. He seemed rooted to the spot, like some invisible wall was   
wrapped around him or something.  
Kyoko wiped the hand that had touched him off on her   
skirt. She didn't know why half the girls at school were ready to go   
ga-ga over this guy. What was so great about all those hard   
muscles? She preferred much softer things herself. Men were just   
disgusting.  
Kyoko didn't get much more time to think about it as the   
boys around her suddenly realized what they were grabbing for   
were actually pictures of Kuno that the upperclassman had paid   
Nabiki to take of him, supposedly to give to his 'fans.'  
"You're on your own now, Ranma," she told him as she bid   
a hasty retreat.  
"Thanks for your help," he replied quickly.  
"Whatever," she said without looking back, making for the   
safety of the school.  
Ranma didn't have much time to think either as the boys   
returned to his beating with renewed vigor, though he still barely   
felt their blows.  
  
Gosunkugi started to laugh when he saw Ranma's   
predicament. The other boys were punching and kicking him,   
while all the pig-tailed boy could do was stand there and take it.   
Then one of Nabiki's assistants appeared with free photos and he   
wanted in on that, even though he had probably taken most of them   
in the first place and thus had copies already, but something tugged   
at his pant leg, stopping him. Thinking it had got caught on one of   
the shrubs he was hiding in, he tried to shrug it off, but it moved   
freely. Then there was another tug, this time on the opposite leg.  
"Meow!" went a chorus of voices.  
Gosunkugi looked down to find himself surrounded by   
about a dozen cats, all looking up at him, their tails swishing on the   
ground.  
Gosunkugi scratched his head in puzzlement, absent-  
mindedly using the hand which held the Ranma voodoo doll, and   
causing Ranma to head butt his opponent.  
Gosunkugi did his best to shoo the cats away, not realizing   
that at the same time he was making Ranma actually fight back,   
though in a strange manner. The pig-tailed boy's arms suddenly   
shot out, backhanding his opponents.  
The cats only moved closer to him, tugging at his leg,   
almost trying to climb up. He didn't like their large, glassy eyes or   
sharp, pointy teeth. Unable to stop himself, he panicked and ran, a   
small army of cats nipping at his heels.  
  
Nabiki finally found Gosunkugi behind the school. It   
actually wasn't that difficult. He was yelling and running all over   
the place, being pursued by a crowd of cats for some reason. She   
tried to catch his attention, but it was impossible to do with his   
mind focused on running away as it was at the moment. Gosunkugi   
was a complete coward, but then he'd been useful to her several   
times in the past. Not only for his photographic abilities, but also   
for his way of going completely unnoticed by those around him,   
making him her chief informant.  
Nabiki opened up her bento, took out a fish, and threw it in   
the dead center of the mob of cats, causing them to stop   
immediately and fight over the succulent piece of fish. She failed   
to notice the one kitten who walked away from the mob.  
"Kasumi's cooking satisfies even the most discriminating   
feline," she muttered to herself with a smirk.  
  
Gosunkugi fell to his knees and gasped for air, his badly out   
of shape body feeling winded from even that short run, still   
unaware that his movements were making Ranma fight back. He   
looked up in surprise when a shadow suddenly blocked the sun.  
Nabiki was looking down at him with a frown, not pleased.   
He noted that her arms were crossed too, and her foot was lightly   
but impatiently tapping the ground. Definitely not pleased.   
Gosunkugi wasn't exactly sure what he had done to make her mad,   
but he was wishing that he was anyone but himself at the moment.  
"What do we have here?" she asked as she pried the Ranma   
doll out of his numb fingers, studying it curiously. "I thought you   
were interested in my sister Akane. I never knew you were that   
way, Gosunkugi-chan."  
"It's not like that!" he shouted back immediately,   
embarrassed. "It's just the boys wanted to get back at Saotome for   
taking Akane away from us, so I thought I could try my magic on   
him so they could take care of him easily.  
"I know I've never been able to do anything right before,   
but this time it actually worked! I had complete control of   
Saotome's every move!"  
Nabiki moved the doll to make cute little punches and kicks   
while asking, "Was this before or after the cats started chasing   
you?"  
Gosunkugi hung his head in shame. "A small side effect   
that I hadn't counted on," he explained at a near-mumble. "It was   
due to calling up the power of the neko-kami. I'm sure I could get   
it to work again with another spirit though."  
Nabiki hmmed in thought as she continued to 'play' with the   
doll. "When does it stop working?"  
"Well, the magic will wear off after a little while, but you   
can end the enchantment anytime by removing the hair of the   
victim."  
"You mean like this?" Nabiki asked with a smile as she   
plucked out the hair, letting it fall to the ground and then grinding   
it into the dirt under her shoe.  
Gosunkugi watched in horror as the strand fell. "Why did   
you do that?"  
Nabiki didn't answer, instead telling him, "You owe me for   
that little save, Gosunkugi-chan. I want you to make a Kuno doll   
for tomorrow morning, got that?"  
"But how will I get hair from Kuno?"  
"Leave that to me, just have the doll ready before school."  
Gosunkugi watched her walk away with a resigned   
expression. He knew better than most that when Nabiki Tendo   
asked you to do something, you did it or else.  
He nearly jumped in surprise when something rubbed   
against his leg. He looked down to see that it was one of the cats   
from the mob earlier. It was a kitten with golden fur, with   
occasional streaks of white. The kitten's expression was innocent   
and open, not menacing like the other cats had been before.   
Suddenly remembering how Ranma had acted at just the mention   
of cats, Gosunkugi gently picked the animal up and began to pet it.  
"Little kitty, you're going to help me have my revenge on   
that fool Saotome, aren't you?"  
"Meow!"  
  
Akane had idly been watching the fight since it started from   
the window of her classroom, expecting to feel a certain malicious   
glee in seeing someone else clean the clocks of those boys for   
once. She hadn't expected Ranma to just stand there and take it.   
She knew that he was a lot better than those guys, so why was he   
just standing there and taking it?  
"Worried about Ranma, Akane?" asked her friend Yuka,   
who was at the window with her, watching the fight.  
"No way! Why would I be worried about some... boy?"   
Akane shot back immediately.  
"The same boy you've been having lunch with for the past   
two days?" Sayuri, on the other side of Akane, pressed.  
Akane glanced back and forth between her two friends, a   
slight blush of embarrassment on her face. She had a perfectly   
logical explanation for having lunch with Ranma, but she just   
couldn't seem to get the words out at the moment.  
"Yeah, what is the deal with that anyway?" Yuka asked her.   
"I mean, there are all sorts of rumors floating around, especially   
after Ranma won a fight over you. Some people are saying that the   
two of you are an item, but you'd tell us if something was going on   
first, wouldn't you? We're your best friends."  
Sayuri nodded with a smile. "So give. What is going on   
between you two?"  
"Nothing like people are saying! It's just..."  
"Just?" Yuka prompted.  
"I have to go!" Akane said suddenly, running out of the   
room.  
Yuka and Sayuri exchanged confused looks.  
  
"Baka!" Akane berated herself, having ran all the way out   
of the school and now rested against a side wall. "Why did you   
have to overreact like that? Now they're definitely going to think   
that something is going on."  
She had no idea why she had done that, why she had felt   
the sudden panic that had gripped her when they had pressed for   
details about Ranma.  
Suddenly remembering the fight, she turned the corner to   
watch it. She was relieved to see that Ranma was fighting back,   
though she had to admit his style was a bit... unusual. Not nearly   
as effective as it had been before. He seemed to be doing okay   
against the boys, though.  
Akane watched as Ranma's style abruptly improved, using   
solid punches and kicks now, though it was still jerky and stiff and   
he stuck out like a blind man. She knew that he was much better   
than that, but it was still enough for the boys to keep their distance.  
Then suddenly Ranma fell to the ground and didn't stir for   
several moments afterwards. The boys stared at him for a while in   
surprise, but finally they shrugged and closed in again.  
  
As the boys approached the fallen Ranma, ready to get their   
kicks in without fear of retaliation, some of them felt a sudden   
chill. Their fresh bruises and cuts made them ignore this feeling   
though.  
The people watching the fight blinked in surprise when a   
sudden dust cloud appeared, on a collision course with the mob of   
boys. A motorcycle? A wild animal escaped from the zoo?   
Whatever it was, it slammed into the mob with a crash, sending the   
boys flying everywhere.  
When the dust finally cleared, Akane stood there, next to   
the fallen form of Ranma. Her fists were clenched, her breathing   
heavy, and a scowl was on her face. Everyone watching decided to   
immediately do something else, not wanting to chance her wrath.  
  
Nabiki was smirking as she approached her factor. "So   
how did the fight go, Kyoko-chan? I was busy handling some   
things so I couldn't watch the end."  
"Well, I managed to delay the fight a bit and get rid of those   
Kuno photos at the same time. Ranma eventually started to fight   
back, really badly at first, getting better after a while, though never   
up to his original form. Did you find out why he was fighting that   
way, sempai? When I asked him about it, he said he was   
paralyzed."  
"Gosunkugi was playing with dolls," Nabiki explained.  
"Sempai?"  
Nabiki shrugged. "I'll tell you later. So how did the fight   
end? Did we get our bets?"  
"Ranma was doing pretty well, when suddenly, for no   
reason whatsoever, he fell flat on his face."  
"He what?" Nabiki asked with a chord of anger in her   
voice.  
"Don't worry. I was about to do something about it when   
your sister came barreling to the rescue and finished off all the   
boys herself. From the way the bets were worded, Ranma still   
technically won the match."  
Nabiki shook her head slightly. That wasn't what she was   
angry about, but thought it best to keep it to herself. She knew   
what it would do to her reputation if word got out that she was   
actually concerned for someone. Her entire business was built on   
her rep of being a tough, self-reliant woman who was always in   
control. If people suddenly thought that they could get to her, she   
could lose everything.  
Thankfully, Kyoko again misunderstood her boss. "I know   
it's not the sort of victory you'd prefer, sempai, but I seriously did   
my best on this."  
"It's not your fault, Kyoko-chan. The boys surprised us,   
that's all. Now we both better hurry on before one of us is late for   
class."  
"Hai, sempai."  
  
Ranma rolled over and stared up at the blue sky overhead.   
Just what the heck had just happened to him?  
Then a familiar face eclipsed his view. "Are you all right?"   
Akane asked him.  
Ranma sat up and looked around. The two of them were   
the only ones still in the school yard. "Yeah, I'm fine. What   
wimps. My little sister could hit harder than those guys. Where   
did everyone go?"  
Akane was a bit confused trying to follow Ranma's erratic   
train of thought, so it was a few moments before she finally said,   
"The school bell rang about a minute ago."  
Ranma blinked. He had gotten to school fairly early so he   
was a bit surprised at just how much time had passed. He also   
remembered how angry Akane had been that time she had to hold   
buckets out in the hall with him. "What are you still doing here   
then?"  
Akane opened her mouth to explain, but just like the time   
with her friends, the words stuck in her throat. What was   
happening to her lately? Maybe she should visit Dr. Tofu in case it   
was something serious.  
Suddenly, she grabbed Ranma's hand and dragged him to   
his feet. "We don't have time for that now!" she nearly shouted as   
she pulled him towards the school. "We might be able to get in   
class before the teacher notices!"  
  
Min-Lin trotted onto the school grounds, swinging her book   
bag around in girlish glee. Soon she would be going over to   
Ranma's house just like when she was little. They could have even   
more fun together now. There was many things she'd seen in the   
village that she wanted to try with Ranma, and not just martial arts.  
She stopped as she suddenly remembered something   
Ranma told her last night. He had a little sister now.  
  
Hitomi was at what was quickly becoming her normal   
place, on the right side of her school's main building, near the back   
where few people went. Not a spot that faculty were likely to   
frequent, but easy to find if someone had the need of her services.  
She had to admit her fledging business wasn't quite a   
successful as her sensei's. Her three factors were also her three   
closest friends and were doing this mainly because it was an   
interesting way to kill time rather than any real interest in earning   
yen. It was mostly a game to them. It was a game to her too in a   
way, but she valued the yen it could make her.  
Something that she had never admitted to her sensei was   
she had a rough time just starting out. While some students had   
need of loans, there was no reason for them to trust her. The only   
sporting event worth betting on was rhythmic gymnastics and that   
would mean going up against Kodachi, which no sane person   
would do. Hitomi hit on the key to open up her business entirely   
by accident.  
She had always carried a photo of her brother with her ever   
since she had started school. She didn't like thinking about it now,   
but at first she had been terrified to go to school all alone, without   
the comfort and safety of her family, especially her big brother.  
Ranma wasn't the brightest person in the world, but he   
could be amazingly clever sometimes. He simply took a picture of   
himself and gave it to her. That way he'd always be with her   
wherever she went and she'd never have to be afraid. However he   
had come up with it, his plan had worked. Hitomi hadn't felt afraid   
of just about anything since then.  
Hitomi still carried that same photo with her wherever she   
went. It had become almost her good luck charm, besides meaning   
a lot to her personally. She had been going through her purse in   
the company of her friends once when the picture had slipped out.   
Her friends had jumped to the conclusion that the Ranma who she   
often talked about was her little brother. This annoyed Hitomi for   
some reason, so she took a picture of her brother while he was   
practicing and brought it in to show her friends. Hitomi could still   
remember their reaction...  
  
"This is your brother?" one friend asked in surprise.  
"Let me see!" another exclaimed, snatching the photo from   
her, only to have her eyes go wide.  
Her third friend, looking at the picture over the shoulder of   
the other, shouted, "Wow, he was cute in the first picture, but now   
he's a total hunk!"  
Hitomi frowned in confusion, taking the photo back from   
her friends. She stared at it for a long time. It wasn't even a   
particularly good photo; catching him in mid-punch had made the   
image slightly blurry. He was wearing that dumpy-looking white   
gi and his hair was all messed up. She desperately searched for the   
hunk in the photo, but all there was was her brother standing there.  
Her friends had all gather around so they could stare at the   
picture some more.  
"Do you really think my brother is that good-looking?"   
Hitomi asked them, still feeling bewildered.  
They all nodded in unison.  
"But he's... Ranma," Hitomi said, unable to think of a better   
argument, and also unable to think of her brother in those sort of   
terms. She knew he had problems with girls, but found it a little   
hard to believe that just a picture of him could be that interesting.  
"Hey, can I have this picture, Hitomi-chan?" one friend   
asked.  
"No, I want it!" the other protested.  
As Hitomi agreed to take photos for all of her friends, a   
plan began to form in her mind.  
  
Even taking into account that they attended a all-girl's   
school and therefore had no ready source of boys available, Hitomi   
had been surprised how well the business of selling photos of her   
brother had gone. She even had the brainstorm of making them   
into collectable cards with odd facts or quote from her brother on   
the back. Even the girls not really interested in staring at some   
strange boy collected them out of fun or challenge of getting the   
whole set.  
After that not only did she gain the trust of the girls needed   
for the loans, but she had the capital to make those loans as well.   
All this made her a bit famous around campus, eventually   
attracting the interest of Kodachi who she was able to cut a deal   
with. From then on it had been smooth sailing, mostly at least.  
  
One of her friends walked over and told her, "There's a   
strange blonde girl looking for you, Hitomi-chan. Her name is   
Min-Lin, and she's a high school student who recently transferred   
from China."  
"I don't know anyone by that name," Hitomi replied in   
confusion. She didn't think her business was well known enough   
to immediately attract the interest of a new student. "Do you know   
what she wants me for?"  
The friend shrugged. "She isn't saying. She just keeps   
asking if people have seen you. She'll probably come this way   
soon. Do you want me to do anything about her?"  
Hitomi shook her head. Her friends had become a bit   
overprotective since she had started this business, but the girl was   
probably looking for a loan. Besides, Akiko was there to handle   
any trouble that came up.  
  
Min-Lin was feeling very puzzled at the moment. Just   
asking random people about Ranma's sister hadn't been very useful.   
They either didn't know who Hitomi was or simply had no idea   
where she'd be at the moment.  
Then Min-Lin had come across three middle school   
students sitting together at a table. They each had out what looked   
to be large glossy photo albums and were swapping photos back   
and forth while saying strange things like, "I'll trade you four karate   
poses for the one in the tux" or "I just need the gold foil first date   
card and I have the entire foil set!" The last statement seemed to   
greatly impress the other two girls.  
Curious, Min-Lin snatched one of the pictures as it was   
being passed around and stared at it curiously, ignoring the protests   
of the girls. Min-Lin's eyes suddenly went very wide. It was a   
picture of Ranma walking along the top of a fence in a red   
Chinese-style shirt and black pants. With the sun shining down on   
him, he looked like he didn't have a care in the world.  
Flipping the card over, Min-Lin read a short description of   
the training Ranma had gone through to walk so easily along the   
fence top, and the chances of him falling from it. It was also   
marked with the number 23 in the upper right corner.  
"Why you have a picture of Ranma?" Min-Lin asked the   
girl in confusion, handing the card back.  
The girl rolled her eyes. "I have over a hundred pictures of   
Ranma. I'm less than two dozen cards away from the entire   
collection. Some girls think he's some kind of major stud, but I   
just like collecting them."  
"I think he's pretty cute, but I really collect them for all the   
neat facts they come with. And I think the eating series is just too   
funny," another girl added.  
"Well, I think he's cool and a hunk," the third threw in her   
opinion. "I hope to get him to autograph my cards some day."  
"Every one? You've got like fifty of them now, right?" the   
second girl asked.  
The third girl blushed a bit. "Unless he'd rather do   
something more... fun."  
The two girls squealed while the third girl's blush   
deepened.  
"Ayiah," Min-Lin said at nearly a whisper, even more   
confused to what was going on than before. "Where did you get   
cards from?"  
"Interested in starting your own collection, eh?" the first   
girl asked her, adjusting her glasses. "You can buy them from   
Hitomi, she's usually on the side of the main building, near the   
back. You won't be able to collect the whole set though, all the   
rare cards have already been sold and most of the people who have   
them aren't trading. You're better off waiting for the second series   
to come out. I heard that she's even going to be making it into   
some kind of game."  
Min-Lin decided it was best to forget all about Ranma   
trading cards for the time being. Maybe his sister could explain it   
when she found her.  
  
Near the back of the school Min-Lin found a small table   
with people gathered around, though there was one girl leaning up   
against the wall who eyed her suspiciously as she approached. The   
focus of the commotion at the table seemed to be a middle school   
girl with longish auburn hair and eyes that were very familiar to the   
Amazon when they looked up into hers.  
Min-Lin approached the girl, ignoring the others, not even   
realizing that she was forcing them to get out of her way. "Are you   
Hitomi?" she asked the girl.  
Hitomi nodded and stood, disappointed that the short girl   
was still taller than her. There was something intimidating about   
this blonde stranger. Hitomi could tell by the way that she moved   
she was a martial artist.  
"And just what--?" was all she could manage to get out   
before the older girl swept her up into a suffocating hug.  
"Min-Lin so happy to meet Ranma sister!" she shouted in   
glee as Hitomi did her best to escape from the iron hold.  
Akiko sighed dramatically as she stood and began to twirl   
her ribbon, only slightly disappointed that this new girl was too   
caught up in giving Hitomi the hug of a lifetime to notice. Akiko   
was a relatively tall girl in her last year of middle school, and acted   
mature enough to be frequently mistaken for a high school student.   
There was also the fact that she wore a high school uniform,   
despite the protests of her teachers. Akiko was her liaison to   
Kodachi, the captain of the school's rhythmic gymnastic team as   
part of the arrangement she and Hitomi had.  
The deal was rather simple. Hitomi gave Kodachi   
information on rival teams and a small cut of the betting proceeds,   
while Kodachi provided inside information that Hitomi used to set   
the odds as well as providing Akiko as a sort of bodyguard for her.   
Hitomi did her best to avoid that sort of trouble, but didn't yet have   
the knack her sensei did of getting out of tense situations easily.   
Besides, Kodachi had insisted and Hitomi hadn't seen any   
advantage in refusing her.  
Min-Lin blinked in surprise when a ribbon suddenly   
wrapped around her wrist, tugging at her arm. It was enough to   
break her hold on Hitomi, but Min-Lin herself wasn't so easily   
budged.  
Akiko stared back disdainfully at the blonde girl, trying not   
to show the effort it was taking her to try and move the Amazon.   
In practice all it took was a flick of the wrist to send her opponent   
flying, but all her strength couldn't budge her.  
"One should not man-handle another woman in such a   
way," Akiko explained in a haunty tone. "It might give others   
certain ideas about your... preference."  
Min-Lin only stared back, no comprehension in her wide   
green eyes. Eventually, she decided that this girl was challenging   
her to a fight for some reason and her words were just how the   
Japanese did their challenges. Her friend Shampoo's challenges   
were sometimes just as odd.  
Min-Lin threw back her arm, sending the other girl flying,   
then brought it down sharply, causing the ribbon-wielding   
opponent to land bodily into the wall.  
"Are you okay, Akiko?" Hitomi asked her bodyguard in   
some concern. She had seen her brother take worse than that, but   
Ranma was more durable than most people. Besides, Akiko had   
saved her from the Amazon's hug of death.  
"I am well," Akiko declared as she stood, glaring in Min-  
Lin's direction. "She merely caught me by surprise with such an   
underhanded move."  
Hitomi decided not to mention that the Kuno school of   
martial arts gymnastics seemed to be based around underhanded   
moves, at least from what she'd seen Kodachi-sempai teaching.   
She also decided it would be unkind to point out that to have   
pulled that move off, this blonde girl had to be very strong and just   
as skilled.  
"Thanks anyway, Akiko," Hitomi said to her bodyguard,   
who pretended to be vigilant as she stood against the wall, ready   
for another attack, but Hitomi had a feeling that it was taking her   
an effort just to stand now.  
Hitomi carefully studied the blonde girl before her, the one   
who until recently had been very effectively cutting off her supply   
of air. Her motives seemed friendly though, as she was currently   
smiling, with a touch of confusion, in her direction. Her friend had   
already told her the girl had just come from China which explained   
the girl's poor Japanese. Her name was Min-Lin and she knew that   
Hitomi was Ranma's sister, which implied that she knew Ranma.   
What it didn't explain was why this blonde, overly-endowed high   
school student was so happy to see her.  
"So you're a friend of my brother's?" Hitomi ventured.  
Min-Lin nodded eagerly. "Min-Lin and Ranma best friends   
before you were born! Much happy playing together. I so happy to   
see Ranma have cute sister! You nearly cute as brother!" she   
shouted, practically bubbling with delight.  
Hitomi smiled at the girl, but inside she was frowning. An   
old playmate of her brother's just happens to show up now, just   
when Hitomi was starting to get Ranma and her sensei together.   
From Min-Lin's enthusiasm, Hitomi guessed that the girl wasn't   
just looking to renew an old friendship. Still, considering how   
absent-minded her brother could be sometimes, it was likely that   
he'd forgotten all about her.  
Though there were a number of things that Min-Lin had   
said which implied she had seen him recently. Remembering her   
conversation with her brother over breakfast, she realized that Min-  
Lin could be one of the other girls Ranma had mentioned. Hitomi   
really wished she hadn't fallen asleep before she could get the   
whole story last night.  
"So I take it you've seen my brother lately?" she asked.  
Min-Lin nodded eagerly and explained, her Japanese   
having improved after calming down somewhat. "I had just started   
work as waitress, my third night, when who should sit at one of my   
tables but Ranma! It had been some time, but he still look much   
like he did as boy. Still have same cute pig-tail and same cute   
smile."  
"Was he alone?" Hitomi asked, knowing that he hadn't   
been. She was starting to feel ill with the thought of all her careful   
plans having been ruined by a chance encounter with an overly-  
affectionate Amazon.  
Min-Lin thought for a moment. "He was with girl, Nabiki   
Tendo. She your cousin, right?"  
Hitomi wanted to bang her head on the wall. "Nabiki-san is   
not my cousin," she stated firmly.  
Min-Lin shrugged as if Nabiki's reason for being there were   
completely unimportant, causing Hitomi to grind her teeth in   
frustration. She was feeling that this bubbly blonde could destroy   
everything she had worked for. Though she had received much   
amusement from it in the past, Hitomi really wished that for once   
her brother didn't have such massive girl problems.  
Min-Lin continued on with her tale, oblivious to the   
discomfort she was causing. "I so happy Ranma not forget me and   
times we shared, though he seem to have some details mixed up.   
Min-Lin can't believe he forgot the time we play doctor together."  
Seeing Hitomi's discomfort, her friends looked towards   
Akiko for help. "Isn't there something you can do?" one asked.  
The young gymnast glanced at the scene and then back at   
the girl talking to her. "And what would you like me to do?" she   
asked, knowing that she was in no condition to fight at the   
moment. Though she thought that only Kodachi could really be a   
match for Min-Lin.  
"Something that will make Min-Lin go away," another   
friend said, looking with some distress as Hitomi proceeded to   
bang her head against the wall while muttering to herself.  
Akiko nodded. *Now what would Kodachi-sempai do in   
this situation? Hmm, what's the most underhanded and sneaky   
thing I can think of?*  
"Oh, Min-Lin!" Akiko suddenly shouted in a tone of   
forced-friendliness.  
The Amazon turned and blinked at the ribbon-girl,   
effectively cutting off her story.  
"I do believe I just saw Ranma heading towards the gym on   
the other side of the campus. He must be looking for you."  
With a cry of "Ranma!" Min-Lin was off and running in the   
direction of the gym.  
"That was really low," one of Hitomi's friends commented   
to Akiko.  
Akiko grinned as if she had just been paid a huge   
compliment. "Glad to be of service."  
Hitomi was too busy thinking of ways to salvage her plans   
of bringing her sensei and brother together to overhear. And if   
those plans bothered a certain blonde Amazon, so much the better.  



	6. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ranma 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
Once again thanking pre-readers who helped me with this (who   
deserve much more than just to be thanked twice): Donny Cheng,   
Ronny Hedin, LarryF, Angus McSpon, and Thomas Hackwood.  
  
***  
  
Ranma's luck, despite his opinion, wasn't always bad.   
Sometimes it could be quite good, for he and Akane made it to class   
just before the teacher did. But often there was a catch. This time   
they had both been anxious to get to class before the teacher that they   
happened to forget that they were holding hands the entire time;   
something that wasn't missed by their fellow students. The rumors   
about the two of them grew.  
  
Chapter 5: Five Very Large Men (And One Large Woman)  
  
Ranma himself was deaf to these rumors, and blind to the   
stares he was currently receiving because of them. Class had begun   
and he was giving the lesson only marginal concentration. This time   
it wasn't because he was too tired or bored to pay attention, but   
because his thoughts were far too occupied at the moment to pay it   
any mind.  
Girls occupied his thoughts at the moment, something which   
his mother would have been proud of had she known. Ranma   
always had trouble with girls. He had troubles with boys too, but to   
a somewhat lesser degree. Boys, at least, were easier to understand   
for him. They fell into three categories: boys that wanted to beat   
him up, boys that wanted to befriend him, and boys that just ignored   
him. Ranma thought that there were far too many of the first and not   
nearly enough of the second. He only had one real male friend, and   
he hadn't seen him since they were kids. But that was okay for   
Ranma, at least they were easy to deal with.  
Girls were a whole other matter entirely. The way they   
acted around him usually left him confused or afraid, sometimes   
both. That girl Kyoko had helped him out in the fight earlier today,   
but when he caught her glancing in his direction, she was frowning.   
So why did she help him if she disliked him?  
There was Nabiki, who he had intended to try and talk to   
before school to find some way of understanding her, but then those   
boys had attacked. In his view, their entire date had been a disaster,   
and even the explanation she had given him about being in his   
protection didn't make sense to him. How did that equal having fun?   
Especially enough to make her kiss him on the cheek? Ranma   
wouldn't be forgetting about that for a long time to come. At the end   
of their date, Nabiki had acted in a way that had made him   
instinctively want to escape in the past, but for some reason he   
didn't feel the need to flee from her. Why was that? And why did   
he sort of look forward to seeing her again?  
Then there was Akane, perhaps the most confusing of all.   
He had absolutely no idea how she would act when they next met.   
Would she be angry, happy, or indifferent? Judging from past   
instances, there was no way to tell. He was confused, but at the   
same time looked forward to finding out.  
*Why couldn't all girls be like Kasumi?* Ranma lamented   
his utter bafflement. *I can understand her, at least.*  
  
Genma noticed that one of the other sensei that he worked   
with seemed nervous today. It was a man he had known for years   
and years -- they had even trained under the same master -- but they   
hardly could be called best buddies or anything. So Genma ignored   
it, it wasn't his problem.  
He had finished his first class of the day when Sakamoto   
finally approached him. "Ah, Saotome-san, do you have a minute?"   
he asked a bit nervously.  
Genma nodded slowly as he got things ready for his next   
class. Normally, that would be the responsibility of the students, but   
since the next class was composed of preschoolers they weren't   
allowed to do any heavy work. Genma scoffed at the idea; his own   
son had been able to do the whole thing himself at their age.  
"Do you remember about twelve years ago when my family   
stayed at your home? It was when the master reappeared to train us   
again."  
Genma shuddered. "Don't tell me he's come back?" he asked   
fearfully.  
"No, no, no!" Sakamoto replied quickly, at the same time   
sending a silent prayer that his grandmother-in-law would catch him   
before that could happen again. "It's just that my daughter and your   
son were playmates until she had to move to China. She just   
returned recently, so I was wondering if it would be possible to   
have a little family get-together one day, to talk over old times?"  
Genma rubbed his chin in thought. A drinking buddy /   
sparring partner and the man's wife to keep his own busy. Nodoka   
would be likely to make one of her deluxe meals for such an   
occasion. It seemed like the perfect way to spend a weekend,   
except there was something about the idea that nagged at him.   
Something he just couldn't place...  
Genma shrugged. If he couldn't think of it, it couldn't be that   
important. "I don't see why not--"  
His words were suddenly cut off by a rumbling like thunder   
very close by. Both he and Sakamoto turned in surprise to see five   
huge men enter the dojo. Each had to duck his head to get through   
the door, and turn sideways so their wide shoulders could fit.  
Genma had never seen anyone quite so large as them, their   
bodies bulged with muscle, which was easy to tell since none of   
them were wearing shirts. They wore thick jeans, smeared with dirt   
and grease, and heavy work boots. Each carried some large   
implement -- one carried a metal ball on a chain, another held what   
looked to be a metal support beam.  
"Where is Genma Saotome!?" the one in front bellowed. He   
was the only one who didn't carry anything, though his fists were   
larger than most people's heads.  
Most people present were master martial artists with years   
of experience against hardened foes. They all turned and pointed   
out Genma immediately. They might be skilled, but they weren't   
going to get into any fights if they could avoid them either.  
Genma was a little disappointed by the betrayal of his   
coworkers, even though he would have done the same thing in their   
place, but he still faced down the leader with a proud sneer. "Who   
wants to know?"  
The man grinned. His teeth were large like the rest of him,   
and pearly white. "The Wrecking Crew," he said as he quickly   
picked up Genma by the neck with a meaty fist, "would like to know   
where your son is."  
  
Kuno proudly strolled out onto the school yard in search of   
his new... rival? student? friend? No word seemed appropriate for   
the deep and complex relationship that he and Ranma now shared.   
A friendship born from combat, matured through understanding, to   
shine under the summer sun as a true rivalry between men of more   
or less equal ability.  
People backed away from Kuno as he began to rant to   
himself once again. He'd been acting even nuttier than usual lately.   
Many were of the opinion that his final defeat against Ranma had   
snapped his already tentative hold on sanity.  
  
"Um, hi," Akane nervously greeted Ranma, meeting him   
under the shade of a tree which he had made his lunch time spot.  
"Hi," Ranma said back, just as nervous. She was still a   
complete mystery to him, he hadn't a clue how to act around her yet,   
and every one of their meetings usually left him even more confused.  
A few tense moments of silence passed before Akane asked,   
"Do you mind if I have lunch with you?"  
Ranma looked up at her. He'd been expecting this question   
since -- for some reason he had yet to figure out -- she had had lunch   
with him for the past two days, though she didn't seem quite as   
nervous as last time. He smiled tentatively at her and replied, "I'd   
like that."  
Akane smiled back gratefully, and took a seat next to him   
quickly to cover the sudden increase in nervousness she felt. They   
both started on their meals and ate in silence for a time.  
"That was a really rotten thing the boys did to you today,"   
Akane said after swallowing a mouthful of rice. "I mean, they've   
done some pretty low things in the past, but this has got to be the   
worst. I'm sorry I didn't help you sooner."  
Ranma felt a bit embarrassed to having been helped out in a   
fight, by a girl, not once but twice. He remembered Akane's   
previous explosion and decided that he shouldn't mention that no   
matter how he felt about it. He had learned to keep his mouth   
sometimes, despite his sister's opinion.  
He was somewhat worried to how his parents would react if   
they found out. His father would certainly accuse him of slacking   
off in his training and think up some even more exhausting and   
ridiculous exercises. His mother would make sure he started dating   
Akane to thank her for her help, and probably insist to meet the girl   
herself. Thankfully, his parents had no real way of knowing what   
happened to him at school.  
"That wasn't that big a deal. I've been in unfair fights before.   
Heck, my old man cheats all the time in our sparring matches.   
And... thanks for the help. You're a pretty good martial artist."  
Akane beamed with the praise at first, but then shook her   
head, remembering her thoughts of earlier that morning. "Nope, I'm   
not. I'm way too slow."  
Ranma had to admit that she had a point. He had noticed that   
immediately in their fight together. "Well, speed isn't everything.   
You have some good techniques against multiple opponents that   
makes up for some of that, and you don't have to punch someone as   
much because you're about as strong as a gorilla."  
"Excuse me?" Akane asked in a colder tone than before, her   
eyes flat as she looked at him.  
Ranma wondered if Akane had learned that look from his   
sister somehow, or it was something that every girl could do. Either   
way, it made him feel like a bug just before it gets squished.  
"I meant that as a compliment, really," Ranma said quickly,   
waving his hands to ward off any sudden attacks. "You're probably   
stronger than I am and could take a punch as well as you give one."  
Akane nodded, seeming appeased, and though her tone   
wasn't as cold as before, it still lacked some of its previous warmth.   
"The emphasis of the Stone Fist School of martial arts is strength   
and endurance verses many opponents. It's what I've been training   
in my whole life."  
Ranma nodded. "Anything Goes School is pretty much as   
the name says. My father likes to concentrate on speed and agility   
though, and pretty much ignores all armed techniques. I think my   
pop thinks that weapons are inherently weaker forms, but I had a   
friend who was just about as good as I was with weapons. Or at   
least he was, it's been a long time since I've seen him last."  
"Watching you fight, I thought it was something like that,"   
Akane said finally, though she seemed to be struggling with the   
words. "In fact, I was wondering if you..."  
  
Akane's words trailed off when they were both suddenly cast   
in darkness. Both she and Ranma looked up and up into the faces of   
five very large men who had gathered around them. The men were   
all smiling, though they seemed far from friendly.  
"So we've found you at last, Ranma Saotome," the one in the   
middle said, his deep voice rumbling.  
Ranma scratched his head in confusion. "Do I know you?"  
"No, but we know you," he replied. "The Wrecking Crew is   
here to make you pay for what you did to our little brother."  
Ranma suddenly remembered the reason he'd been   
transferred to Furinkan in the first place, all because of that master   
of Demolition Martial Arts. He'd been shouting about the Wrecking   
Crew or something.  
"I didn't think that I hurt him that badly," Ranma said.   
Actually, he was pretty sure that he hadn't hurt him at all. The guy   
had lost the fight because he'd knocked the gym down on himself.  
"Hurt him?" their leader said with anger. "You did worse   
than hurt him. You annihilated his soul! Crushed his will! Smashed   
his spirit! Because of you, he's now a pathetic shell of the person he   
once was, to whom death would be a mercy!"  
"Aren't you exaggerating just a little?" Akane asked. From   
what she'd seen of his fights, Ranma held himself back quite a bit,   
even when that risked getting himself injured. She really couldn't   
see him ruining someone's life like that.  
Tears now streamed down the eyes of each member of the   
Wrecking Crew as their leader spoke again. "Toshi was destined   
for greatness. Out of all of us, he had the greatest potential and   
learned faster than anyone. Not only was he a great martial artist,   
but he was also intelligent, wise, and artistic. The greatest human   
being the world has ever known!"  
Ranma really had to wonder if they were talking about the   
same guy. His Japanese had been crude by even Ranma's standards,   
and he smelled like bathing was a foreign concept to him. Not to   
mention he had knocked a building down on top of himself. He had   
hardly been a paragon of virtue.  
"He was the pinnacle of perfection, until this loathsome   
demon named Ranma Saotome came around and with pure malice   
single-handedly ruined his life!"  
"But what exactly did Ranma do?" Akane pressed.  
"What did he do?! What did he do?!" the leader shouted,   
whipping himself up into a frenzy. "Not only did Ranma wreck a   
building Toshi was supposed to destroy, but he tricked him into   
wrecking a building he wasn't supposed to!"  
Akane frowned. "I don't see how that's such a big deal."  
"Not a big deal?! Not a big deal?!" the leader yelled as his   
eyes practically bulged from his sockets. The others had to hold   
him back, for which Akane was glad. She could see the spit flying   
from his large mouth when he spoke. She definitely didn't want to   
get any closer to him. "The abilities of the Wrecking Crew were   
meant to serve good, but this... creature Ranma has turned Toshi's   
ability, which was surely a gift from the gods, to serve evil! Toshi   
will never be able to lift his mighty crowbar again!"  
The leader turned to Ranma, calming somewhat. "And that   
is why we have come, Ranma Saotome. To avenge the injustice   
done to our brother. Prepare to be destroyed."  
Ranma stood up. He knew that he was in big trouble fighting   
five against one like this, but he really didn't have any choice. He   
wouldn't be able to face anyone if he ever backed down from a   
challenge. It would shame the name Saotome.  
It took Akane about three seconds to make her mind. She   
had never faced opponents as big and tough as this Wrecking Crew   
before, but she would not, could not, let Ranma fight them alone. It   
would go against everything she believed in as a martial artist.   
Besides, she still felt indebted to him for ending her morning fights,   
even after helping him out that morning.  
Before she could do or say anything however, a familiar   
voice rang out, "Hold, fiends!"  
  
Nabiki was also sitting outside having lunch, surrounded by   
her various factors, and at a good vantage point to observe Ranma   
and Akane. She said she was just watching out for her little sister,   
but her real reason, which she didn't even want to admit to even   
herself, was that she wanted to make sure that they weren't too   
close.  
Friends was fine -- Nabiki had to admit that Kasumi had a   
point this morning about Akane needing a male friend -- but she   
didn't want it to go any further than that. She knew the rumor about   
them holding hands was just an exaggeration, but it stirred up her   
emotions nonetheless. If it turned out to be true that they'd gone   
beyond friendship, Nabiki might have to take steps, showing where   
Ranma's interest should lie, and that could jeopardize her entire   
business.  
Nabiki was the undisputed queen of Furinkan high because   
nothing could get to her. She didn't get angry, she only got even. A   
confrontation with her was a contest of wills, and one which she   
always won because of her iron control. If she lost that, the whole   
structure could collapse on her, even her own factors turning against   
her.  
Nabiki was snapped back into the present when five very   
large men approached Ranma and Akane, and they didn't look too   
friendly either. That suspicion was confirmed as one of them began   
to shout angrily, even to the point where he had to be held back by   
his allies.  
"It seems that this afternoon's entertainment is about to   
begin," Nabiki told her friends and assistants. "Looks like Ranma is   
going to have yet another fight. Naoko-chan, get the AV club's video   
camera and get ready to tape the action. We can sell copies to   
people tomorrow. Myuki-chan, find Gosunkugi and tell him that I   
want photos of all the participants, especially Ranma. We can use   
the equipment of the journalism club to print some nice booklets to   
go with the video. Kyoko-chan, you're in charge of the betting pool,   
with odds of four to one against the newcomers. The rest of you   
start taking bets."  
Her factors nodded and set about their given tasks, most   
fanning out into the gathering crowd, taking bets from the usual   
people. They went right to the regular gamblers, and managed to   
attract a few others besides. Nabiki had done her best to convince   
her fellow students that betting was a fun game, that the fights at   
school became more interesting when one had a stake in them.  
Nabiki herself kept her eyes on Ranma. Unnoticed next to   
her, Kyoko frowned slightly. She didn't like that Nabiki still   
seemed interested in Ranma after their disastrous date.  
"Sempai," Kyoko said gently, "How can you be so sure   
Ranma will win? It's five against one, and all of those men look   
tough."  
"First of all, it's three against one, Kyoko-chan," Nabiki   
replied in a lecturing tone, her eyes never leaving Ranma. "My little   
sister has a habit of sticking up for the underdog, she's already   
talking back to the guy. No way will she let Ranma fight alone.   
And if Akane is involved, Kuno won't be far behind.  
"And... I have faith in Ranma. I know he'll win somehow."  
Kyoko tried to ignore the hollow feeling in her gut as she   
began to tally the bets the other assistants had started to bring in.  
  
The Wrecking Crew turned their heads to stare at this new   
intruder, who arrogantly strode up to them, bokken held limply in   
one hand. His expression was a mix of anger and disdain as he   
casually sized each one of them up, not seeming at all impressed.  
"What do you want?" the leader of Wrecking Crew asked   
him.  
"If you wish the hand of the beauteous Akane Tendo," Kuno   
said as he readied his bokken, "then you will have to defeat me   
first!"  
"Who?" the leader asked in confusion. "The only person we   
care about here is Ranma Saotome."  
"Ha! The likes of Tatewaki Kuno shall never be fooled with   
such an obvious ruse! I can see clearly that your plan is that in   
defeating Saotome, you will be able to claim Akane for your own.   
This I will not allow!"  
"They're not lying, Kuno," Ranma told the kendoist.   
"They're here to fight me and that's it. You don't need to get yourself   
involved in this."  
Kuno shook his head sadly. While it might be true that   
Ranma was an excellent martial artist, he was much too naive when   
it came to dealing with villains the likes of which he was currently   
confronting. Trickery and deceit were their watchwords, and one   
could be sure that they would conceal their true motives to the end.   
Yet he could not bring himself to shatter Ranma's delicate illusions   
of a simpler, kinder world.  
"Regardless of their motives," Kuno said finally. "I will see   
them defeated by my hand."  
  
A hush fell over the school yard as room was made for the   
fight. The crowd of students were curious to watch, but thought it   
safer to keep their distance. Those with the most common sense   
decided to watch from inside the school, preferably several floors   
up from the action. Kuno had the habit of cutting right through trees   
and stone in the midst of battle, and this Wrecking Crew looking   
even more dangerous.  
Gosunkugi worked his camera from his perch high up in a   
tree. Nabiki had hired his services to get photos of the participants   
in action to sell afterwards. He sighed as he reluctantly focused   
away from Akane and on to the pig-tailed boy who stood waiting for   
the fight to begin. Nabiki had been quite insistent that the majority   
of photos be of Ranma.  
Nabiki had moved to the safer location of the second floor of   
the school with the added advantage of gaining a bird's eye view   
over the fight. Kyoko stood beside her, more focused on her boss   
than the action below.  
  
Ranma smirked at Kuno, who stood next to him with his   
bokken drawn. his feet firmly planted, waiting for anything. He just   
couldn't believe that in a few days they had gone from enemies to   
allies. Somehow for once he hadn't made an lifelong enemy.  
"So what do you say, Kuno? I'll take the three on the right,   
you take the two on the left."  
Kuno shook his head slightly, his eyes never leaving the five   
opponents that stood before them. "Nay, tis more fitting that I defeat   
the three on the left while you challenge the two on the right."  
"I'll just sit this fight out and watch you two get pulverized,"   
the leader of the Wrecking Crew spoke up, setting himself down   
under the shade of a tree. "That way it's a fair fight."  
"Fair fight!?" Akane shouted back at him, "How is two   
against one fair?"  
"A hundred of these vile dogs would not be enough to defeat   
the great Tatewaki Kuno," the kendoist announced, bokken raised to   
the heavens. "I accept your pathetic challenge."  
Ranma grinned. His opponents looked bulky and slow.   
With his speed, even two of them working together wouldn't be able   
to touch him. "Let's just get this fight over with, I want to finish my   
lunch before the bell rings."  
None of the Wrecking Crew seemed intimidated by their   
words. They grinned as the exchanged nods with their leader, then   
turned to face their opponents, implements of destruction ready in   
their meaty hands.  
For several moments the six combatants only stood, staring   
at each other in silence, waiting for someone to make the first move.   
Then a leaf fell from a nearby tree, fluttering on its slow path to the   
ground. Not making a sound, the crowd watched it fall, and when it   
finally landed, the battle had begun.  
  
Kuno's two opponents quickly closed the gap between them,   
while Kuno himself stood ready, letting them come. One wielded a   
large support beam like a club while the other swatted the air with   
an steel shovel.  
Kuno had never been so focused on his life. It could have   
been mental preparation for his now aborted training with Ranma or   
the fact that for once he was fighting for Akane rather than against   
her, but whatever the reason, his mind was no longer dulled with   
flowery language or the thoughts of his ancient samurai heritage. He   
was a fighter trying to win this match, nothing more.  
As such he could see the moves of his opponents before they   
made them, in the tensing of their shoulders, the movement of their   
arms, the placing of their feet, and the slight bending of their wrists.   
Signs that had been all but non-existent in his matches with Ranma.   
It reminded him of his matches with Akane, but with these two there   
was no worries about doing them harm. In fact, that was exactly his   
intent.  
Kuno's bokken blurred as it blocked the support beam aimed   
for his head, at the same time swiveling his body to avoid the shovel   
targeting his stomach. He sidestepped his first opponent and added   
to his forward momentum by smacking him in the back with the flat   
of his 'blade', causing the two members of the Wrecking Crew to fall   
on top of each other.  
He was only mildly surprised by the sudden cheer that rose   
up from the crowd. Kuno struck a dramatic pose and declared to his   
fallen foes, "Now that you have witnessed the great skill of the Blue   
Thunder, yield and spare yourselves the pain and humiliation of   
total defeat!"  
The Wrecking Crew only responded by standing up and   
readying their weapons once again. Both faces were twisted in   
anger as they glared at Kuno.  
Tatewaki wasn't the least bit intimidated. "Very well. If   
you refuse to yield, I have no choice but to teach you the error of   
your ways!"  
With an animal snarl, the two members of the Wrecking   
Crew charged.  
  
Ranma rushed his opponents, trying to do his best to get this   
over with as soon as possible. He was still hungry and he knew   
lunch period wouldn't last much longer.  
He had to duck a flying wrench aimed for his head, the next   
moment doing a flip over a ball and chain sent to ensnare his legs.   
This Wrecking Crew wasn't kidding around, he realized suddenly,   
they were out to seriously hurt him.  
Again the ball and chain tried to snag him again as he was   
only inches away from the man wielding it. Ranma jumped up and   
did a flip on the man's shoulders, forcing him to the ground with his   
momentum, while the ball of the chain went sailing right into the   
other man's gut, bringing him to his knees.  
Ranma knocked the other wrench out of his other opponent's   
hand, and wound up for a punch to the face, but stopped suddenly   
when he saw the man's smile. After that ball to the stomach, the last   
thing he should have been doing was smiling.  
Slight whistling of the air behind him was Ranma's only   
warning as he ducked quickly, only to watch the thrown wrench   
come back to smack its thrower right in the face, knocking him to the   
ground.  
Ranma was barely aware of the crowd's cheers as he   
breathed heavily, not from exertion, but from a little fear. If that   
wrench had actually connected with the back of his head, this match   
would have been over already, not to mention leaving Ranma in a   
lot of pain.  
Despite that, his two opponents were already getting back   
up. They were grinning toothily, though their eyes were flat and   
hard. With a final deep breath, Ranma dropped into a stance and   
waiting for them to come again.  
  
"Looks like your Wrecking Crew are all show and no   
ability," Akane told their leader smugly, hiding the relief she felt.  
The man opposite her grinned. "This fight has only started."  
  
The man with the shovel slowly approached Kuno, holding   
his weapon like a bokken, while the other opponent armed with a   
large support beam now resting on his shoulder hung back and   
watched. Kuno met his shovel-wielding opponent, circling him   
slowly, his bokken held ready for a strike while he kept on eye on   
the man holding back.  
Kuno was normally one to charge and attack first, but in this   
case two semi-skilled opponents dictated a defensive posture. If he   
attacked one, he would leave himself vulnerable to an attack from   
the other. But if he held back and waited for an attack from one, he   
could counter and still be ready to confront his other foe. It was of   
course the perfect strategy.  
And then the waiting was over. The shovel-wielding foe   
charged, still telegraphing his movement enough for Kuno to guess   
where it would end, though he was concealing it much better than   
before. Kuno moved to block and countered, only to suddenly lose   
his footing as the ground shook under him. He was just barely able   
to block the shovel aimed for his right shoulder, but the force of it   
sent him tumbling to the ground.  
Kuno stood back up immediately and eyed his grinning   
opponents warily, edging away from them a bit. His form had been   
perfect, only to have the very ground turn traitor on him. Obviously,   
there was some trickery afoot. He guessed it to be the work of the   
man with the support beam, but could not figure out what he had   
done.  
Once again the man armed with the shovel closed in on him,   
though he seemed much more confident than before. They began to   
circle, but this time Kuno was ready for whatever trick they had   
played on him before. Once he perceived the attack launched, he   
had to merely make doubly sure that his footing was firm. That way   
not even an earthquake could disrupt his most perfect form.  
Then the attack came. Kuno saw it coming towards his   
lower left and readied his stance as well as his 'blade.' Only at the   
last moment, the man's whole movement changed, as with a grin his   
shovel changed direction and scooped up the ground right under   
Kuno's feet, concrete and all, sending the kendoist flying right into   
the path of his second opponent. The support beam came around   
with a powerful swing, striking Kuno in the back and sending him   
right into the pavement.  
"That hurt, you know," Kuno remarked as he crawling out of   
the small crater his impact had made and shakily got back on his   
feet. His kendo outfit was now tattered and dirty, though he had the   
look of proud disdain on his face as he made his bokken ready for   
the next assault.  
  
Ranma knew that his opponents would be easily to beat if he   
could just close the distance between them and use one of the   
special moves he'd learned in over a decade of training. The   
problem was his opponents weren't giving him that chance, keeping   
him at bay with boomeranging wrenches and chains out to trip him   
up. Ranma was quick enough to keep from getting hit with these, but   
with his own inability to strike they were stuck in a stalemate.  
Again the wrench flew, Ranma dodging to the right to avoid   
it hitting him in the elbow. Little odd since the man had normally   
been aiming for his stomach or head, much easier targets. He didn't   
have much time to think as the chain followed right after, aiming to   
ensnare his waist this time, but it was so far off that he didn't even   
really need to dodge. Were his opponents getting tired and that was   
effecting their aim? To Ranma, they didn't even look winded.  
Ranma dodged left when he heard the tell-tale whistle of the   
returning wrench, only to blink in surprise when something cold   
began to wrap around his waist. He looked down to see that the   
chain had somehow snagged on the wrench and used its momentum   
to snare him. Ranma tried to slip out of its grip, but the man   
wielding the chain suddenly pulled it painfully tight, cutting off his   
escape and dragging the pig-tailed boy closer to him. Ranma dug   
his feet in and pulled back with all his might; it was just barely   
enough to halt his forward progress.  
The second wrench went flying, aimed for Ranma's head.   
Ranma managed to duck, but that change in footing was enough for   
the man with the chain to pull him to the ground. With barks of   
laughter, the two members of the Wrecking Crew closed in on him.  
  
"Ranma!" Akane shouted, moving forward to help, only to be   
stopped by the heavy hand of the leader of the Wrecking Crew on   
her shoulder.  
"Don't get involved in a fight between men, little girl. You'll   
only wind up hurt."  
Akane glared at him, shaking off his grip, but didn't go and   
assist Ranma. He was right about one thing. This wasn't like the   
fight earlier that morning. Ranma had agreed to this, she had no real   
right to interfere.  
  
Kuno seethed in anger, so much so that if anyone had been   
close to him at the moment they would have noticed a faint blue   
glow all around his body, the marks of his battle aura flickering with   
the faint breeze.  
Not once, but twice these inferior foes had gotten the better   
of the great Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. He had   
been far too careless before to allow this to happen, relying on   
defense like some base coward. Well, no more. Kuno silently   
vowed that it would end here and now.  
With a low, guttural shout, Kuno charged his shovel-  
wielding opponent. The man was so surprised by the sudden,   
powerful assault that he was barely able to bring his steel shovel up   
in time to block the blow, only to watch it be cut in half by a   
wooden sword right before his eyes. That is, until the second blow   
that caught him in his mid-section and sent him flying though the   
wall of the school.  
The man armed with the support beam was a little   
intimidated when Kuno's flat stare turned to him -- especially after   
seeing what had just happened to his comrade -- but that was   
quickly replaced with a confident grin. Kuno slowly approached   
him, only to be nearly knocked off his feet when the man struck the   
ground with his heavy support beam, causing a minor earthquake.  
"Can't use that trick on me if you can't get close," the man   
pointed out smugly.  
"True," Kuno replied, firmly planting his feet while holding   
his bokken out before him. "Kuno School of Kendo Final Attack!"  
The man, expecting Kuno to try and rush him, readied his   
support beam to strike the ground with all the force he could muster.  
"Strike! Strike! Strike!" Kuno began to shout over and over   
as his bokken became a blur before him, as if battling an unseen   
enemy. His feet remained planted, however, making no move to   
close in on his opponent.  
The man facing him grinned wider, thinking that the kendoist   
had finally snapped; that was until he felt something slice at his arm,   
his right leg, his waist. He blinked and stared. Kuno was still some   
distance away from him, but it felt as if he were right there, hitting   
him all over. He brought his support beam out before him, only to   
watch as the air pressure Kuno was generating shredded it down to   
filings. His surprise only lasted for a moment as Kuno himself   
finally charged in, putting all of his momentum behind a blow aimed   
for the man's stomach, sending this opponent through the school   
fence and onto the sidewalk on the other side of the street.  
Kuno stood proud, raising his bokken to the heavens as a   
cheer rippled through the crowd. He looked noble and invincible,   
but in reality it was taking everything he had left just to stand.  
  
Lying on the ground, Ranma was doing his best to look   
helpless and defeated. The chain dug painfully into his wrists, but   
he ignored it, focusing instead on his opponents as they inched   
closer and closer. It was an effort not to grin, but thankfully his   
opponents were too focused on harming his prone form to notice.  
As the man with the wrench brought his weapon down aimed   
for Ranma's stomach, Ranma suddenly turned, wrapping his legs   
around the man's arm and flipping him over and onto his back. With   
a snarl, the man still holding the chain tugged Ranma closer, only to   
watch in surprise as the pig-tailed boy leapt back onto his feet and   
head-butted him hard in the chest, loosening his hold on the chain   
and knocking the wind out of him.  
Ranma stood confidently surveying his opponents. One was   
totally disarmed and looked like he was having a hard time   
breathing; the other was flat on his back with only one wrench   
remaining. The two opponents Kuno had faced had just reappeared,   
but neither of them looked capable of fighting at the moment.  
  
"Where do you think you're going!?" Akane shouted at the   
leader of the Wrecking Crew as he stood and took a step towards   
Ranma.  
He turned back to her with a grin and said, "I think it's my   
turn to teach this Ranma a lesson."  
"You said you were going to sit this one out," Akane pointed   
out.  
"I lied," he replied with a shrug.  
Face contorted in anger, Akane jumped out in front of him,   
blocking his path. "You'll have to get through me first!"  
She wasn't sure which made her madder at the moment; this   
'Wrecking Crew' with their lame excuses and dirty tactics or finding   
out just how much Kuno had been holding back in their matches   
together, having never really treated her as a serious martial artist.   
Either way, she was eager to take her frustrations out on someone.  
"Akane, don't get yourself involved in this," Ranma told her,   
seeing what was happening between her in the leader. "They're here   
for me. This isn't your fight."  
"I concur," Kuno added as he approached her after the   
completion of his own duel. "Allow us to be the hand of your   
vengeance upon these scoundrels for daring to think that they might   
gain the right to date you."  
Akane thought the real reason that they didn't want her to   
fight with them was because she wasn't as good as they were, and   
she had to admit that they were right. Ranma had just bent out of the   
way of her every blow, and after seeing Kuno go all out against   
those Wrecking Crew guys, she now knew that he'd been better than   
her all along. *I'd probably just get in their way,* she thought as she   
began to sit back down, suddenly feeling depressed.  
"That's right, little girl," the leader of the Wrecking Crew   
told her as she backed down. "Girls like you shouldn't be fighting.   
You should be learning to cook and sew and other girly stuff like   
that. Leave the fighting to the men."  
"What did you say?" Akane asked in a cold tone, standing   
back up again.  
"Oh, the little girl is mad at me!" the leader said in mock   
horror, glancing around at his men who had now gathered around   
him. "I'm soo scared!"  
Ranma blinked when he felt a sudden intense heat. He   
gulped to see Akane, her head down, her hands balled into fists. But   
what was really impressive -- and in some ways frightening -- was   
the bright blue glow that surrounded her, a larger battle aura than he   
had ever seen before.  
Ranma tried to say something to her, but Kuno's hand stayed   
him. The kendoist now stood next to him, leaning a bit on him for   
support. "It would be best not to interfere with Akane Tendo as she   
is now," he told him, his voice solemn. "Lest she direct her wrath   
upon you as well."  
Ranma took another glance at Akane and nodded. His fine-  
tuned sense of danger was currently screaming loud enough to make   
him deaf. Besides, anything that frightened the supremely arrogant   
kendoist had to be bad.  
The leader of the Wrecking Crew was not a cautious person   
by nature, which was probably why he said what he did. "What's   
the matter, little girl? Gonna cry?"  
Akane's head snapped up. Fire smoldered in her eyes. It   
was a glare that promised a long and painful death to anyone who so   
much as glanced in her direction. The other members of the   
Wrecking Crew involuntarily took a step back, but the leader still   
held his ground like a deer caught in headlights.  
"Tendo Stone Fist School of Martial Arts Ultimate   
Technique!" Akane roared as her right arm shot out, targeted for the   
leader's mid section. "Stone Fist!"  
The leader was roughly four times the size of Akane and a   
mountain of muscle, but his body bowed easily with the impact from   
her punch, his mouth spitting out a small wad of blood. Akane bent   
her arm slightly and sent him flying off into the stratosphere.   
Everyone else could only watch in awe until he was no more than a   
speck in the sky.  
Akane eyed the remaining members of the Wrecking Crew,   
her battle aura still burning brightly, blue flame flickering madly,   
reflected in her eyes. "All right," she growled. "Who's next?"  
The four giants took one look at her and fled.  
  
The rest of the school day flew by for Ranma, and before he   
knew it, it was already over. He wanted to talk to Akane after the   
fight at lunch, especially after seeing her pull that technique. His   
interest in learning a move like that actually overcame his shame   
and embarrassment of having to be saved by a girl in a fight yet   
again. He was a little surprised that people hadn't teased him about   
it though.  
He tried to talk to her right after the bell rang, but she packed   
up her things and practically flew out of class. Ranma found this a   
bit odd, but just figured that she had some after-school activity that   
she didn't want to be late for, and he really didn't want to keep her.   
After seeing her getting really angry, the last thing he wanted to do   
was piss her off.  
Ranma was of two minds about seeking out Nabiki. On one   
hand, he really wanted to talk to her about the date last night to   
hopefully alleviate some of his confusion. But on the other hand, he   
was extremely nervous about speaking to her again. What if she had   
changed her mind about the date and hated him now? Or what if she   
felt the same, or even stronger, than she had last night? He couldn't   
decide which was worse.  
Before he knew it, his feet had taken him to the exit. Ranma   
sighed and muttered to himself, "I really am a coward."  
"No, you're not," a voice whispered next to him.  
Ranma nearly jumped and spun around in surprise when he   
heard Nabiki's voice. There was no one else in the hall, but then he   
spotted her face peeking out of a partly opened door.  
He opened his mouth to say something, though he wasn't   
even sure what he should say, when she held her finger to her lips   
for silence, then gestured for him to come closer. Nodding, Ranma   
reluctantly went to the door. When she let him inside and closed it   
behind him, careful not to make a sound.  
They were in the currently empty nurse's office. Nabiki was   
grinning widely, as if she had just played a big practical joke on   
someone. Ranma couldn't help recalling his words to his sister last   
night. Nabiki was very pretty, especially when she was smiling.  
"Bet you want to know why I'm being secretive all of the   
sudden, right Ranma-chan?"  
Ranma blinked at being called '-chan', but then slowly   
nodded. It seemed the more time he spent with Nabiki, the stranger   
she acted.  
"I just wanted to explain to you something that I should have   
told you last night. You see, my situation at school is rather...   
delicate. I have a certain reputation to uphold, and if it was known   
that I'd been out on a date, well, that might tarnish that reputation. It   
isn't anything personal, Ranma, this would be true for any boy. So I   
want to keep our relationship secret, at least for now. We shouldn't   
even act like we've even met. Is that all right with you?"  
Ranma was silent for a moment, mostly because he was now   
even more confused than before. He'd been hoping for a moment   
there that she'd explain some of the things that happened on their   
date last night, especially how she had reacted to them, but instead   
she'd added the additional confusion of concealing their   
'relationship', whatever she meant by that, at school for reasons he   
couldn't even begin to fathom.  
"Sure," he said finally. Ranma didn't understand, but if that   
was what she wanted he didn't really have a problem with it. His   
school situation was complicated enough as it is.  
"Great," Nabiki replied with a smile. "We can correspond   
over e-mail, since I bet you don't have your own phone line. You do   
have an e-mail addy, don't you?"  
Ranma could only stare back at her. "What's e-mail?"  
Nabiki chuckled. "I'm sure Hitomi will be willing to   
explain it all to you, Ranma. I'll send mail to you at her address in   
the meantime, marking them for you. I should be able to get an   
account for you in a few days on the Furinkan server. I could do it   
quicker, but I don't want anyone else to know I'm doing something   
for you."  
"Thanks," Ranma replied, not entirely sure what he was   
thanking her for.  
And then Nabiki's whole posture suddenly changed as she   
walked over to him, her eyes twinkling with mirth, a small smile on   
her lips. Ranma wasn't sure why, but he suddenly felt very nervous.   
He was nearly shaking when she wrapped her arms around his neck,   
nearly jumping away when she laid her head against his chest.  
"I'm sorry I have to put you through all this, Ranma. Not   
mad, are you?"  
"N..no," he told her, his voice nearly cracking. The instinct   
to bolt was strong, but he seemed paralyzed. Not like it had been   
that morning, he could move if he had to, but for some reason he had   
lost the will to.  
"I'm glad," she said softly as she began to trace circles on   
his chest with one outstretched finger. "I know you have a long way   
to go to get home, so I won't keep you much longer. I just want to   
know what's the deal with you and that girl Akane. There's rumors   
all over the school that you two are dating, but you aren't, are you?"  
Ranma wasn't so bewildered to not noticed the edge in her   
voice as she had asked that question. "No, it's not anything like that.   
I don't even think we're friends, it's just... I don't even know what.   
Akane just confuses me."  
"Akane confuses everyone. I hardly understand her."  
Nabiki slowly, almost reluctantly, released Ranma and stood   
a foot or so away from him, looking into his confused eyes. "Talk to   
you again soon, Ranma. Don't forget to ask your sister about e-mail.   
You probably don't want her reading my mail for you."  
"Um, I won't," Ranma replied, wondering just what Nabiki   
planned to put in those e-mails.  
They stood staring at each other in silence before Nabiki   
finally said, "You can go now, Ranma."  
Ranma laughed nervously. "Right. Thanks, Nabiki."  
Nabiki blinked. "For what?"  
Ranma shrugged. "I don't know, for the date, and not being   
mad about how it went. I had a good time... being with you."  
Nabiki grinned and threw her arms around his neck again,   
giving him a peck on the cheek. "You're a big sweetie, Ranma-  
chan."  
Ranma could only blush in response.  
  
Ranma wasn't entirely surprised to find that his mother had   
guests over when he returned from school. Her friends were fellow   
housewives who seemed to only get together to brag about their   
children and complain about their husbands.  
Ranma tried to tip-toe the way to his room, clinging to the   
walls to avoid being seen, but his mother had always had sharp   
ears.  
"Oh, Ranma?" Nodoka called out to him. "Could you come   
in here for a moment?"  
Resigned to the inevitable, Ranma slumped his shoulders   
and obeyed. He was met by the grins of four middle-aged women   
with whom he was all too familiar, since they seemed to share his   
mother's views on the ideal son and daughter. He was thankful that   
two of them didn't visit that often. He was sure that it was only his   
bad luck that they were all there now.  
"Your mother has just been telling about your manly exploits   
last night," the one who he was the least familiar with said. She   
carried a backpack with her and looked ready to travel at a   
moment's notice, so he had always figured she was part of a family   
of explorers or something. "How I wish my own son could be as   
manly as that, but just the mention of a woman and he goes all to   
pieces. Aika, I don't know how I'm going to bring up his arranged   
marriage to your daughter."  
Aika was the most familiar out of the women to Ranma. She   
lived somewhere nearby and was Nodoka's best friend, though he   
always did his best to stay well clear of them. Ranma was   
especially thankful for the arranged marriage that they spoke of,   
because his mother had hinted heavily that if it wasn't for that, he'd   
be the one engaged to her daughter. And trouble like that was the   
last thing he needed.  
Aika smiled over a cup of tea as she directed her eyes to the   
pig-tailed boy. "You shouldn't worry about it so much, Kiba.   
Perhaps Nodoka's son could give yours a few lessons. I know that   
my daughter would be most appreciative. I have already informed   
her about the engagement and she is looking forward to it."  
"If I could find the boy, maybe I'd do just that. My husband   
was supposed to be taking him to see an old friend of his, but I just   
called there and they haven't arrived yet. Sometimes I wonder why I   
married that fool, always getting himself lost." Kiba sighed as she   
idly tugged at the yellow and black bandanna she wore around her   
neck.  
"You think you have problems," the fourth woman said,   
fiddling nervously with a small spatula. "My poor daughter. When   
I think of what my husband has done to her, I'd--"  
"There, there, Chiyo-chan," Nodoka told her friend, patting   
her on the shoulder. "It's all right."  
Ranma sometimes wondered what horrible thing the man had   
done to his own daughter that his wife would mention it at every one   
of their meetings that he had ever been there for.  
"Maybe I should just accept it," Chiyoko finally said in her   
usual Kansai accent. "She's been this way for too long for me to   
change now. I should just find her a man that suits her the way she   
is. Unless you think she's--"  
"I have pondered the same about my own daughter," Aika   
interrupted. "Sending her to an all-girl's school may have warped   
her somewhat, though I only did it to keep her pure for her arranged   
marriage. She has become a bit... eccentric, though that's no   
surprise considering her father. How one man could change so   
much after marriage I will never know. I've simply run out of things   
to do with the pineapples he keeps sending me."  
Ranma tried to sneak away during their conversation, but his   
mother wouldn't allow it. "Perhaps my son can be of some   
assistance," Nodoka offered, gently but firmly grabbing hold of his   
sleeve before he could escape.  
"What are you suggesting?" Aika asked, sounding curious.  
"I propose that my son and your daughter go on a date. If   
your daughter remains unaffected by my son's extreme manliness,   
then we would know for certain if such a problem exists. I assure   
you my son has enough self-control that your daughter would remain   
unsoiled."  
Ranma was blushing horribly. How could his own mother   
talk about him like that, right in front of him?  
"It is an excellent idea," Aika enthused. "I'm sure Dachi   
would welcome a night out on the town. She must get so bored   
around the house with only her garden and her little pet for   
company. If not for school and her gymnastics, I doubt she'd leave   
the house at all."  
"Then we are agreed then," Nodoka said, leaning forward,   
her eyes gleaming. "When should they go out?"  
"Hey!" Ranma tried to butt in, "don't I get a--?"  
Only to be ignored by everyone else there. "Why wait?"   
Aika said with a smile. "I'm eager to discover the results of this   
little experiment. With my family connections I can easily have   
everything ready for tomorrow night."  
"Then it's settled," Nodoka declared. "My son will go on a   
date with Aika's daughter tomorrow night to decide once and for all   
whether she is interested in men or not. And if she isn't, perhaps an   
arrangement between two girls would be possible."  
"Oh, that would solve everything," Chiyoko enthused,   
unholstering her giant egg beater so she could lean back   
comfortably. "In the end, all I want is my daughter's happiness."  
The four mothers nodded in agreement to the plan while   
Ranma groaned in desperation, knowing that there was no way he   
could escape one of his mother's schemes.  
  
Kasumi browsed the market, her ever-cheerful smile on her   
lips, but for once it wasn't as genuine. Despite her efforts to shake   
them off, her worries of the morning still hadn't left her. And she   
doubted that she would be able to free herself from them until she   
saw Ranma again.  
In the weeks after she had first met him, they had become   
rather good friends. It was quite a surprise to Kasumi, who had   
never had much dealings with boys in the past, but Ranma was so   
open and friendly, if a bit naive at times, that she couldn't help liking   
him. 'Like' being the operative word. It developed into a rather   
close friendship, but that was all it was for Kasumi for a while. She   
could easily remember the day when that all changed; thinking of it   
so many times had burned the incident into her memory. It all   
happened a few months ago...  
  
It had been more or less a typical day for them. She had met   
up with Ranma and they had gone from shop to shop, Kasumi using   
her knowledge of the area to better guide him to the superior   
ingredients. Ranma was always looking for some way to repay her   
for her help, but Kasumi was more than satisfied with his company   
alone.  
Ranma had seemed more nervous and agitated than usual that   
day. He frequently looked around as if he expected someone to   
jump out at him.  
"Ranma, what's wrong?" Kasumi asked finally, concerned   
for her new friend.  
"Nothing," Ranma immediately replied, glancing around   
again.  
"Please tell me what's bothering you, Ranma. You can tell   
me. I'm your friend, aren't I?" Kasumi asked with a touch of worry.   
Not only did she dislike seeing someone suffer, but she was also   
concerned that Ranma didn't see this as the friendship that Kasumi   
held it as.  
"Well, it's something really silly," Ranma finally said,   
embarrassed. "You'll probably just think I'm worried over nothing."  
Kasumi shook her head. "If it's serious to you then it's   
serious to me. Tell me what's bothering you."  
Kasumi prided herself in her listening skills, having been a   
shoulder to lean on, and sometimes cry on, for her sisters, and   
occasionally their father, for years now. And while she didn't think   
that she could solve the problems of everyone, she was sure that at   
least talking about them always made the person feel better.  
"All right," Ranma gave in with a small sigh. "You promise   
you won't laugh?"  
"Promise," Kasumi replied with a smile. Ranma was acting   
very strange today.  
"Okay, what happened is I saw an orange and white cat on   
the way here today, and every time I see one, something bad always   
happens to me."  
Kasumi frowned. "Isn't it supposed to be a black cat that   
crosses your path?"  
"Huh?" Ranma said, confused.  
"It's a Western superstition that I read about once. If a black   
cat crosses your path then it's a sign of bad luck."  
"I don't know anything about that. It's just that for some   
reason, ever since I was little, whenever I saw an orange and white   
cat something really bad would happen to me. And the longer the   
delay between me seeing the cat and the thing happening, the worse   
it would be. It's been a while now, so I'm starting to get really   
worried."  
"Then perhaps you should--" Kasumi started to say, when the   
fence they were walking next to suddenly exploded, startling her.   
The force was enough to send both of them to the ground.  
"Ranma!" a deep female voice bellowed from within the   
cloud of smoke and dust that had been kicked up. As that began to   
settle, Kasumi could make out the image of a very large woman   
beyond. She was clearly overweight, covered by an enormous   
white gi, and had her hair done up in the style of sumo wrestlers.  
"Oh, no," Ranma lamented. "Anyone but her. Not Lady   
Sumo."  
"Come to me, my love!" the huge woman shouted in glee, her   
arms out-stretched, as she slowly moved towards him, each   
ponderous step shaking the ground.  
Ranma turned green. "I've got to get away from her, Kasumi.   
You better get clear."  
Kasumi nodded and tried to stand, but immediately fell back   
to the ground, crying out in pain.  
"What's wrong?" Ranma asked her in concern.  
"My ankle must have gotten twisted in the fall," Kasumi   
explained. "I'll be fine. You must escape while you can, Ranma."  
Ranma glanced at Lady Sumo, slowly making her way over   
to him while blowing kisses. She didn't even seem to see Kasumi,   
who was right in her path.  
He nodded decisively, scooped up Kasumi in his arms, and   
bolted.  
  
"Ranma, what are you doing?" Kasumi asked in outrage once   
she had gotten over the initial shock. They might be friends, even   
close ones, but that didn't give him the right to hold her like this.   
People might get the wrong idea about them.  
"Escaping," Ranma replied quickly, glancing back. He'd   
been running almost flat out for several minutes though, and there   
was no sign of Lady Sumo anywhere.  
"Put me down this minute!" Kasumi shouted, horribly   
embarrassed. She could feel the eyes of every person on the street   
on her.  
"But your ankle..."  
"I'll be fine, Ranma. Just set me down," Kasumi told him,   
feeling her cheeks burning with embarrassment. A proper woman   
like herself just wasn't to be seen just wasn't seen carried down the   
street in the arms of a man. What would her neighbors and the   
people at the shops say?  
Ranma shook his head. "It's my fault that you got yourself   
hurt. Besides, Lady Sumo might still be around. She has a habit of   
jumping out unexpectedly."  
No sooner had they said that, then a white, blimp-like figure   
leapt over the fence next to them and began to give chase with a cry   
of, "Ranma, honey-pie!"  
The boy in question shuddered as he glanced back, an ill   
look on his face. "This might take a while. Is there any place I can   
drop you off?" Ranma told Kasumi, still carrying her close to his   
chest. She was surprised to find the warm feel of his arms around   
her and the sound of his heart beat strangely soothing, so much so   
that she stopped caring about how other people saw her at the   
moment. She felt comfortable and safe.  
"You could bring me to Dr. Tofu's so he can have a look at   
my ankle."  
Kasumi had to wonder why Ranma looked so nervous all of   
the sudden, as if her were afraid of the good doctor, but she knew   
that simply couldn't be. Dr. Tofu was a kind man, if somewhat silly.  
"Why don't I just drop you off at your house instead?" he   
asked, taking another nervous glance backwards, though Lady Sumo   
once again was gone from sight. "I'm sure it's nothing serious."  
"Well, all right," Kasumi agreed with some reluctance. "But   
you're going to have to find a way of discouraging that... woman   
from following you if we ever hope to get there safely."  
Ranma nodded, his face creased in thought. A few moments   
later, Lady Sumo barreled out of a restaurant, small food stains now   
dotting her gi. This time instead of running away, Ranma stood his   
ground and waiting for her to catch up.  
"What are you going to do?" Kasumi asked a bit nervously.   
The large woman seemed to be rather dangerous to her, even if she   
was acting affectionate towards Ranma.  
"Um, I'm going to try something I saw in a movie once," he   
whispered to her, faint blush on his cheeks. "It might make you a   
bit... uncomfortable, but it'll all be pretend. Besides, I can't think of   
anything else. So just go along with it, okay?"  
Kasumi nodded, feeling slightly bewildered. Ranma hadn't   
worried about her being uncomfortable before when he picked her   
up and ran. She had to admit that she had gotten rather comfortable   
in his arms though.  
Lady Sumo slowed her pace until she stopped just before the   
two. Kasumi could see that despite her size, she was a rather pretty   
girl. Her bright blue eyes sparkled, full blush on her cheeks, when   
she said with girlish glee, "Oh, Ranma sweetheart, I've finally   
caught you!"  
She reached out to embrace him in her massive arms, still   
apparently blind to Kasumi resting in his, when Ranma stopped her   
with an outstretched hand. Not an easy thing to do when he still held   
Kasumi to him.  
"Forgive me, Lady Sumo," he told her in an overly dramatic   
tone. Kasumi thought that the movie Ranma must have seen was one   
of those samurai epics where everyone always speaks so grandly. It   
was not a bad thing in her opinion, especially when Ranma was the   
one doing it. "But I am in love with another."  
"No!" Lady Sumo wailed, tears immediately streaming down   
her cheeks. "How can this be true? Where is this woman who has   
stolen your heart away from it's rightful owner, me!?"  
"She stands before you," Ranma indicated Kasumi in the   
same tone, though his voice nearly sounded as if it would break.   
Kasumi knew that she was blushing horribly. A confession of love   
wasn't something easy for her to take, even if it was just pretend.   
"She has possessed my heart from the moment in which we first met.   
I tried many times before to explain this to you, but, blind as you   
were with love, you would not hear me out."  
Lady Sumo was outraged. She stomped her foot in anger,   
causing the ground underneath to tremble slightly. "How could you   
choose this plain, rail-thin hussy over me? I, the most beautiful   
woman on the female sumo circuit!"  
Kasumi blinked at being called a 'hussy.' Was that how she   
appeared to people at the moment? She did have her hands around   
Ranma's neck, but that was only because she couldn't stand on her   
own right now. She wouldn't have been doing it otherwise. Did it   
make her look like a 'hussy'?  
"The ways of love are strange and mysterious," Ranma   
declared. "One rarely knows what makes one love another, yet that   
bond is as strong as steel. I beseech thee to find another who can   
return your love as fully as you may give yours, for only then can   
you truly be happy."  
Lady Sumo finally nodded in understanding, saying with   
tears in her eyes, "Farewell, my first true love."  
"Farewell, Lady Sumo."  
Only after the rotund martial artist had left for good did   
Kasumi finally speak. "Ranma, that was amazing! How were you   
able to come up with all that?"  
"Really?" Ranma asked in surprise. "I was just quoting from   
the movie. She must have seen the same one. Hmm, now I wonder   
how it ended. My pop dragged me off for some training so I missed   
the last fifteen minutes. Pretty good flick, not enough fights though."  
Kasumi could only blink in surprise.  
  
Ranma gently set Kasumi down on her bed. She sighed as   
she undid the braid in her hair and leaned back. The little adventure   
had completely worn her out, even though it hadn't lasted for very   
long. It had certainly been exciting, once she had gotten over her   
embarrassment that is. It had also been quite strange, but Kasumi   
welcomed a bit of the bizarre into her normally bland life. The   
monotony did sometimes strain her ordinarily cheerful outlook. She   
never felt bored around Ranma though, even though the most   
adventure they generally had was wandering around the market   
together.  
She glanced up to see Ranma staring back at her with an odd   
expression on her face, similar to the one when he first confronted   
Lady Sumo. Kasumi wondered what it could mean. She certainly   
wasn't a danger to him.  
"Um, you just make yourself comfortable," he said quickly   
when her gaze met his. "I'll go and make some tea." And with that   
he was off like a shot, almost as if that sumo woman was still   
pursuing him.  
Only then did Kasumi notice that with all the jostling around   
in their mad chase through the shopping district, the top buttons on   
her dress had somehow become undone, exposing some cleavage.   
Kasumi immediately turned beet red and quickly buttoned them back   
up again. She certainly hoped that no one had seen her like that.   
They would think her a wanton woman. Maybe that was the reason   
Lady Sumo had called her a hussy.  
But could that be the reason for Ranma's strange behavior?   
Kasumi thought about it for a bit before shaking her head. A   
charming and handsome boy like Ranma would have no end of girls   
pursuing him, though she hoped for his sake that not all of them were   
as determined at the one they had just run into. Why would he feel   
anything for a plain, older woman like herself?  
To distract herself from such thoughts, Kasumi gently   
removed both shoe and sock to uncover her swollen ankle.   
Examining it carefully, even she could tell from her own small store   
of medical knowledge that it was a sprain as she had first suspected,   
and the only thing she really needed to do was stay off her feet for a   
while.  
Which was unfortunately something she could not do. The   
laundry and house cleaning could be put off until tomorrow at least,   
but she still had a dinner to prepare. In the past they would just   
order out whenever she was sick, but father had gone off with an old   
friend who had appeared suddenly and she didn't expect him back   
for a few days at least. Things were particularly tight at the moment   
and there just wasn't room in the budget for take-out, especially after   
doing her shopping for the day. She was thankful that Ranma's quick   
thinking had saved their groceries as well as themselves so they   
hadn't been wasted. She knew that Nabiki had money stored away,   
but she felt that if she asked to borrow some it would make her a   
failure in some way. She should be able to handle the situation   
herself.  
Kasumi's thoughts were interrupted by Ranma carrying a tray   
of tea and crackers, which he gently set down before her. "I thought   
you'd want a little snack too," he explained somewhat nervously.  
Kasumi looked up at him, her eyes wide in puzzlement. Just   
why was he acting so jumpy around her all of the sudden? He   
probably still felt guilty over her sprain, even though it really wasn't   
his fault.  
Ranma poured the tea, his eyes focused on the steaming   
liquid as it filled up two cups. Taking one of those cups for himself,   
and a cracker besides, he made himself comfortable on the chair at   
the foot of her bed, not moving to consume either.  
Feeling mildly confused, Kasumi took a sip of her tea and   
nibbled lightly on one of the crackers. She wasn't feeling at all   
hungry -- in fact there were still butterflies in her stomach from the   
chase and the confrontation afterwards -- but she was flattered that   
Ranma was thoughtful enough to bring them and didn't want to seem   
ungrateful.  
"This tea is quite good, Ranma," she told him in an effort to   
break the ice that had suddenly grown between them. It was oddly   
like their first meeting all over again. The same nervous   
uncertainty.  
"My mother taught me," Ranma explained, taking a sip of his   
own tea. "She used to say that..."  
"What did she say?" Kasumi asked curiously, wondering   
why he had trailed off like that.  
Blushing faintly, Ranma told her quickly, "It was nothing,   
really." He took a bite of his cracker, looking away from her.  
Kasumi decided not to press. It would be rude after Ranma   
had treated her so nicely. "Please forgive me for not being a better   
hostess, Ranma. I should be the one serving you tea," she told him,   
glancing down at the tray Ranma had set in her lap.  
Ranma shook his head. "No, no, it's my fault, for you getting   
your ankle sprained."  
"Ranma, as you can see for yourself it's really nothing   
serious," Kasumi said with a smile, wiggling her bare foot in his   
direction.  
Finishing off his cracker, Ranma stood to get a closer look at   
her ankle. He hung close to it, but still keeping a small distance   
away, as if he thought he'd somehow make the injury worse if he got   
too near. "Shouldn't you have it wrapped up or something so you   
don't make it worse?"  
"I suppose I'll have to," Kasumi told him, thinking about the   
dinner she still needed to start soon. "But the first aid kit is all the   
way in the dojo."  
"You have a dojo?" Ranma asked her, surprise and a touch   
of awe in his voice.  
Kasumi couldn't stop herself from laughing just a bit. How   
could she forget his interest in martial arts? She knew from their   
talks that it was probably the most important thing in the world to   
him. "Yes, the Tendo dojo has been in the family for generations,   
though it's been years since my father last taught a class there.   
Didn't you see it on the way in?"  
Ranma scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I   
guess I was too focused on getting you here to notice much of   
anything. Where is it? I can get the first aid kit for you."  
Kasumi smiled at his sudden enthusiasm. She had to wonder   
just which was more important to him at the moment, getting the first   
aid kit for her, or checking out the family dojo. It didn't really   
matter. She had had such a good day with him, even with the   
sprained ankle, that she didn't really mind what reasons he had for   
staying in her company for a little while longer.  
Kasumi told him where the kit was located and, after first   
setting down his tea, he was off like a shot again. It seemed that   
Ranma only walked when he had to, choosing to run when he could.   
She wondered if he often dreamt of flying. Kasumi occasionally had   
dreams like that, but she had yet to even run. She found herself just   
a bit envious the unconscious freedom Ranma possessed.  
She leaned back again and closed her eyes, the cooling cup   
of tea a comforting warmth in her hands. She could feel the smile   
that came so easily to her lips, and for some reason that only made   
her smile even wider. The constant throb of the ankle fading from   
her mind, she released a small sigh as a wave of tranquillity washed   
over her after the chaos of the day, carrying her to sleep.  
  
Kasumi awoke to a feathery touch on her foot. She slowly   
opened her eyes to see Ranma kneeling by the side of the bed,   
opened first aid kid on the floor beside him. Very gently -- as if he   
feared her leg would shatter like glass from anything stronger -- he   
proceeded to wrap bandages around her ankle. From the   
professional way he wrapped them, Kasumi guessed that Ranma   
was no stranger to bruises and bandages.  
She noticed his small smile of accomplishment as he   
carefully set her foot back down and studied the job he had done.   
Kasumi knew that smile well; it was one she herself wore after   
completely a particularly difficult task around the house.  
Kasumi had been assuming since the beginning of their   
friendship that she and Ranma were different people from very   
different worlds, throw together by chance and a common interest in   
cooking, which was little more than a hobby in Ranma's case. Their   
chase that day seemed to confirm that opinion, but after seeing   
Ranma's smile she couldn't help but wonder if they were all that   
different after all.  
"Thank you, Ranma," she told him softly.  
"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you," Ranma said in a panicked   
voice.  
Kasumi tried to hold it back, she really tried, but with   
Ranma's expression like a little boy caught with his hand in a cookie   
jar, she couldn't help herself. Kasumi laughed loudly until tears   
came to her eyes. Ranma could only stare back at her with a stunned   
expression.  
"Forgive me, Ranma," she told him, her voice still filled   
with mirth as she wiped away half-formed tears. "I don't know what   
came over me."  
"Ah, that's okay," Ranma replied, looking utterly lost now.   
"I just thought it would be easier for me to wrap your ankle for you,   
especially since it's my responsibility. Maybe the bandage is a bit   
ticklish."  
"Perhaps that's it," Kasumi agreed with a smile and a warm   
feeling in her chest. When was the last time she had laughed so   
freely? She could not remember. Perhaps even before her mother   
had died. Before the responsibility of maintaining the Tendo   
household had fallen on her shoulders.  
"I probably should be going now," Ranma told her, still   
sounding confused. "I don't what to have to explain to my mother   
what I've been doing."  
Kasumi nearly blinked in surprise when she felt a sudden   
reluctance to let him leave. It was deep and strong, like a basic   
need that she had never experienced before. Ranma made her feel   
good, so she wanted him to be around her always. Kasumi shook   
her head slightly at her own foolishness. She hadn't the right to be   
so selfish. She didn't even know why she felt this way.  
"Yes, I've kept you much too long already," she told him,   
trying to hide the reluctance in her voice. She sat herself up, which   
was difficult to do with her body stiff from lying on her bed for a   
while. Just long had she been sleeping anyway? It had felt like no   
more than an eye blink, but she could see the sun hung much lower in   
the sky now then when they had first come to her room. "Now if you   
would help me into the kitchen on your way out, I'd be most   
appreciative."  
"I really don't think you should be even trying to walk on that   
foot, Kasumi," he told her seriously. "Even my pop kept me in bed   
when I had a sprain like that, and he doesn't like to cancel training   
for anything."  
She couldn't help but smiling at his concern. "I'll be fine,   
Ranma. Besides, I can't afford to loaf around in bed all day. My   
sisters will be coming home soon and I need to have dinner ready   
for them."  
"But I can do that for you," Ranma insisted as he guided   
Kasumi to lay back down again. Somehow, she couldn't find the   
words to protest against his gentle hands on her arms, or his soft   
grey eyes filled with concern for her. "You just lay back down and   
rest. I'll take care of everything."  
Kasumi thought of a hundred arguments, but they all faded   
from her mind from the force of his small smile. "All right, Ranma,"   
she said softly, leaning back, her long brown hair running down her   
shoulders.  
"Rest well, Kasumi," he told her and left.  
  
Kasumi awoke to the sounds of commotion coming from   
somewhere downstairs. She blinked in surprise as she glanced   
around her darkened room. Something nearby smelled wonderful.  
Switching on the table lamp beside her bed, she noticed a plate of   
food and a small folded note beside it with her name written on the   
top in kanji that was trying very hard to be neat, but didn't quite   
make it. Unfolding the note, she read:  
"This is your dinner. Made two for your sisters too. Left   
them down on the kitchen counter. Didn't want to wake you.   
Ranma."  
Feeling a wide smile returning to her lips, Kasumi carefully   
put the note aside and set the tray in her lap. Skillfully manipulating   
her chopsticks, she quickly took the first morsel of food to her lips   
and tasted.  
She nearly dropped her chopsticks in surprise. It was   
delicious! Perhaps with more spices than she normally used, but   
they blended together quite nicely to create a flavor that was well   
beyond pleasing. She had always assumed from the way that he   
talked about food that Ranma was a decent cook, but she had no idea   
that he was this good. Perhaps he should be the one giving her   
cooking advice from now on.  
"Kasumi, where's dad?" Nabiki asked as she came into the   
room, only to trail off to stare are her sister's bandaged ankle.   
"What happened to your foot?"  
"Oh, this?" Kasumi asked with a smile, wiggling the   
appendage in question a bit. Ranma must have used some salve to   
numb the pain because she could hardly feel the throb any more at   
all. "I had a bit of an accident on the way back from the market. A   
friend helped me get home, and also made dinner tonight."  
"She did?" Nabiki asked, blinking in surprise. "It tasted just   
like one of your usual meals."  
"It does?" Now it was Kasumi's turn to be confused. She   
took another bite and really found Ranma's cooking to be much   
different from her own.  
"Little heavy on the spices, maybe, but otherwise up to your   
usual high standards. Bet you've been giving your friend some tips."  
"Well, I have," Kasumi admitted, taking yet another bite.   
Still couldn't taste any similarity. She didn't think her own cooking   
was bad, in fact she thought it rather good, if not quite up to the level   
of their departed mother's. Ranma's might have been as good, but   
still radically different, to her at least. It had the same flair and   
style of Ranma himself, she thought, as if his own energy had been   
somehow transferred to the meal.  
"Thought so," Nabiki said with a grin. "You just eat, rest,   
and get better now. Akane and I can handle anything that needs to be   
done around the house. And don't worry, I'll keep Akane away from   
anything delicate."  
"Thank you, Nabiki."  
Her younger sister winked. "You can't keep doing   
everything around here yourself forever, you know. Sometimes   
even you could use a helping hand, big sister."  
As Nabiki left, Kasumi couldn't help but agree with her   
words. As she began to eat again, she thought of the perfect person   
to help her, sometime in the future.  
  
There was a tap on Kasumi's shoulder, immediately   
snapping her out of her daydream and back into the present. She   
jumped back, startled, when she realized that it was Ranma staring   
back at her.  
"Is everything okay, Kasumi?" he asked her, clearly   
surprised by her reaction. "I called out your name, but you just kept   
staring into that shop window."  
Kasumi couldn't help smiling whenever Ranma showed   
concern for her. "I'm fine," she told him. "I was just thinking of   
something when you startled me."  
Kasumi resumed her journey among the market, this time   
with Ranma at her side. She couldn't help but wonder at the moment   
how the average passers-by perceived them. Did they see Ranma   
and herself as simply friends, or perhaps siblings? Or did they   
imagine a romantic link between the two, possibly even assuming   
that Ranma and herself were man and wife?  
"Oh? What were you thinking about?"  
Blushing faintly, Kasumi brought her hand to her cheek.   
"Just a memory, nothing important," she explained and then changed   
the subject. "I'm surprised to see you again so soon, Ranma. You   
mother doesn't normally let you cook more than once a week."  
"Mom always lets me cook when her friends drop by, but   
their get-togethers aren't really planned in advance since two of   
them have trouble coming to our house... Has so little time passed   
since I last shopped like this with you?"  
Kasumi's eyebrows wrinkled in confusion. She collected   
jars of various spices she was low on as she thought of a proper   
response.  
"We last met on Monday, three days ago. You told me about   
your first day at your new school. Don't you remember?"  
Ranma shook his head as he tossed the spice jars with an   
almost careless ease into his bag. Kasumi wasn't surprised any   
more by how much of those he brought, or the sheer variety that he   
used. Ranma liked spices a lot and it showed in his cooking.  
"It isn't that. It's just that so many things have happened in   
just a few days that it seems like so much longer. I'm used to strange   
things happening to me, but..." Ranma explained, trailing off.  
"Things have been a bit overwhelming lately, even for you,   
Ranma," Kasumi guessed with a small grin.  
Ranma shrugged his shoulders as they paid for their   
purchases and moved on to the next shop. "You could put it that   
way."  
"Do you want to talk about it?" Kasumi offered. "You   
always have the most interesting stories. I'm envious."  
"Don't be. Believe me, you wouldn't want to experience half   
the problems I have. It's more trouble than it's worth."  
Kasumi was currently wondering if she was going to stop   
smiling anytime soon. She wouldn't mind at all getting into some of   
the trouble Ranma did if he was there to share it with her. "So what   
happened to you this time?"  
"Hmm, let me think..." And Ranma began to explain to   
Kasumi some edited highlights of all the things that had happened to   
him since they had last met. He didn't leave out the date, but thought   
it best not to call it such. He knew that Kasumi hadn't approved of   
Nodoka forcing him to go on dates in the past, so he didn't think   
she'd approve of his sister doing it either. Besides, he didn't really   
want Kasumi to know the sort of pushover he could sometimes be.  
After he had finally finished, they were already done their   
shopping for the day. "My, you have had a busy few days, haven't   
you, Ranma?" Kasumi told him with a smile, feeling her earlier   
worries completely fade away.  
"Yeah," he replied, also smiling. Somehow talking out his   
problems made him feel a lot better about them.  
"Well, perhaps things won't be quite so hectic from now on."  
"I wish I could believe that, Kasumi."  
  
Kasumi was happily preparing dinner, when Akane   
wandered in, a perplexed look on her face.  
"What's wrong, sister?" Kasumi asked her in concern.  
"I think I'm coming down with something," Akane explained.   
"Can you check if I have a fever?"  
Kasumi put her hand to her sister's forehead, but then shook   
her head. "No, your temperature seems normal. What are the   
symptoms?"  
Akane frowned. "Well, it's pretty weird. I couldn't speak   
for short periods of time and I ran away three times today, before I   
could even realize what I was doing. It was like I had no control   
over my body."  
"Hmm, this doesn't sound like a normal sort of illness. What   
happened before this?"  
"The first time my friends at school were asking me about   
Ranma, the boy I told you about before. I apologized to him just like   
you said to, which worked by the way, so they saw this and wanted   
to know if they was anything between us. I wanted to tell them no,   
to explain why I was talking to him, but I just couldn't get the words   
out for some reason, and then I bolted."  
Kasumi thought for some moments. Why couldn't it have   
been someone else but Ranma? With him involved it was hard for   
her to think objectively about this, though having met him only an   
hour or so before at the market had more or less evaporated her   
fears. Whatever Akane might feel for Ranma, she was certain from   
the way that he talked about her that he had no romantic interest in   
her.  
"And the other times?"  
"Then it was with Ranma after I had helped him out of a   
crooked fight the boys had pulled on him. He asked me why I had   
waited for him after the bell rang, and I just panicked. It was the   
same after school, just the thought of talking to him made me   
extremely nervous. Am I going crazy, Kasumi?"  
Kasumi smiled to ease her sister's nervousness, pretty sure   
of what the problem was now. "You're not going crazy, Akane.   
You're just still unsure about how to act around boys who are nice   
to you, that's all. You can't find a reason to beat him up, so you run   
away instead. You couldn't speak and panicked with your friends   
because you didn't want to admit that there could be a boy who was   
actually nice. Don't worry, these feelings of panic will fade after a   
while. You'll just have to try and resist them in the meantime."  
Akane released a big breath and now wore a tentative smile.   
"That's a relief. Thanks, Kasumi. You always know what to say to   
make me feel better."  
"My pleasure, Akane," Kasumi replied, feeling relieved as   
well.  
  
Ranma was not at all surprised to find his sister waiting for   
him in his room after dinner. He knew that she still wanted him to   
explain the date in detail, which he supposed was okay with him   
now. He had explained to it her before when she had fallen asleep,   
and besides his earlier meeting with Nabiki had made him feel   
better about the whole thing. Which reminded him that he had to ask   
about the e-mail thing. Maybe those messages would give him that   
missing insight into Nabiki, and perhaps girls in general. He didn't   
have high hopes though.  
"So pick up from when you and my sensei arrived at the   
restaurant and don't leave anything out," Hitomi told him.  
Ranma nodded, took a seat next to her on his bed and began.   
Having told her the story last night had made it much easier for him   
to recite it now, not forgetting nearly as many things as before.  
"Are you sure you didn't leave anything out?" Hitomi said   
with a wink and a nudge as he finally told her about the kiss on the   
cheek and their good-byes.  
"I might have forgotten a few minor details, but I'm pretty   
sure I mentioned everything important."  
"You just must be as smooth as mom thinks you are then,   
because my sensei doesn't open up to people easily, and I've never   
seen her or heard of her getting affectionate like that."  
Hitomi studied her brother for a few moments while he   
stared back at her in confusion. Ranma was bewildered. How   
could his sister think that he was the manly man their mother made   
him out to be? They both knew that was just due to a combination of   
Ranma's bad luck and Nodoka's exaggeration.  
"Then again, maybe it was a fluke, or temporary insanity,"   
Hitomi finally said. "I'm pretty sure someone more intelligent is her   
style, but I had to try for your sake."  
"Hey!"  
Hitomi laughed and patted her brother on the shoulder.   
"Kidding. I'm kidding, brother dear. I know you're smart even   
though you don't do well at school, but you have the sort of   
intelligence that's not... readily noticeable."  
"Yeah, that reminds me," Ranma said a bit uncomfortably,   
not sure if what his sister had said was a compliment or not.   
"Nabiki said that she wanted you to show me how to use this e-mail   
thing because she's going to be writing to me with it."  
Hitomi blinked, and then poked her brother in the stomach   
playfully. "There's a major bit of info you left out of your story."  
Ranma rubbed the back of his head, feeling uncomfortable.   
"Well, it happened after the date, that's why."  
"Oh, so there's more? Holding out on me, are you?" Hitomi   
asked with a sly grin. "So what happened?"  
"Well, I was about to leave school when she called me into   
the nurse's office."  
"Huh? Why there?"  
"I think it was because there wasn't anyone else there at the   
time. She didn't want anyone else knowing that we knew each   
other."  
"A secret rendezvous?" Hitomi asked, clasping her hands to   
her breast as she fluttered her eyelashes. "How romantic."  
Ranma was currently wishing that he had just lied and said it   
had been part of the date after all. "I don't think so. She basically   
told me that she didn't want me to act like I knew her in school   
because it could damage her reputation or something, though I didn't   
really understand that."  
Hitomi nodded and explained, "My sensei runs a business at   
school, and a lot of it is based on her reputation for basically being   
cold and ruthless. If it was widely known that she was cozying up   
to someone, it could hurt her business. It's the sort of problem that I   
don't have to worry about going to an all-girl's school."  
"Ah, okay," Ranma replied, still not quite getting it, but not   
being particularly concerned about it either. "Then she said that she   
wanted to e-mail me, and she wanted you to teach me how to do   
that. She also said she's going to be setting up an account for me,   
but that she'd send them to yours in the meantime."  
"Okay, that's no problem. I'll show you how after school   
tomorrow. I'd show you now, but I still have your homework and   
mine to do. So did anything else happen?"  
Ranma blushed faintly and stammered, "Well, she sort of put   
her arms around me and kissed me on the cheek again before she   
finally left."  
Hitomi impulsively hugged her brother with a big grin on her   
face. Everything was going according to plan.  
  
Gosunkugi sat on the floor, large magic tome resting on a   
low table as he idly flipped through it, searching for the perfect   
method of defeating Ranma Saotome once and for all. The golden   
and white cat, no more than a kitten really, wandered around the   
other end of the table, playing with a ball of yarn his mother had   
provided the feline. He had expected problems from his parents   
with harboring the kitten overnight, but they had been thrilled their   
son finally had a 'pet.'  
Gosunkugi knew that this magic tome, unlike the many others   
he had purchased over the years, was actually authentic. It was a   
heavy, leather-bound volume, its pages yellow and wrinkly with   
age. Not to mention that the entire thing was in Latin, a magical   
language if ever there was one. There was also the fact that its   
instructions on making a voodoo doll had worked flawlessly, even   
though it had failed to mention a few side effects.  
There were all sorts of spells listed there, though most were   
unsuited to the purpose of revenge. And those that were weren't   
good enough for Gosunkugi. He wanted Ranma to suffer, really,   
really suffer.  
The kitten -- Gosunkugi refused to give it a name even after   
his mother had insisted -- suddenly knocked the yarn onto his open   
book. Before Gosunkugi could get it away, the kitten had come to   
retrieve it, walking all over the book and causing pages to flip at   
random. By the time Gosunkugi was able to get the kitten on the   
floor and out of his way, he had completely lost his place. He   
opened his mouth to yell at the feline, but then closed it when he saw   
the spell the book was now open to. Then he grinned, not noticing   
the toothy smile on the face of the kitten.  



	7. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ramna 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.angelfire.com/anime/amma  
  
Once again thanking pre-readers who helped me with this: Angus   
McSpon, Ronny Hedin, Thomas Hackwood, and LarryF.  
  
***  
  
Soun awoke and immediately picked up the postcard from   
his bedside table. This had recently become a part of his morning   
ritual, his first act of each new day. The front of it proclaimed   
'Greetings from China' and displayed a picture of the famous   
Chinese sumo pigs in action. Soun flipped it over and read the   
simple message there as he had done countless times before.  
"Bringing the boy back from China to fulfill our promise."   
Oddly, though, in place of a signature was a hoof print.  
  
Chapter 6: Two Kings, Two Queens, and a Pair of Jokers  
  
Soun didn't know what the hoof print meant, but it was   
clear who the postcard was from. It was nearly a week old, but that   
was to be expected. His old friend was forever getting himself lost   
-- it was how they had first met -- so it always took him at least   
twice as long to get someplace as anyone else. They could have   
guests any day now, but he wasn't sure if the household was ready   
for what their arrival would mean.  
Soun had subtly probed Akane about the situation yesterday   
and had received what was to him a very favorable response, if   
perhaps a touch too vehement. Akane was his first choice, since   
being heir to the Tendo Stone Fist School of Martial Arts, it only   
made sense that she be the one to pass on the school to the next   
generation.  
Kasumi had been his second choice, since knew well how   
stubborn Akane could be sometimes, even with things that were for   
her own good. After what Kasumi had said over breakfast   
however... He still couldn't get over how his normally polite and   
calm daughter had nearly been shouting at him. From Nabiki or   
Akane he could expect such behavior, but not Kasumi. A bit of   
their dear mother in all of them, he supposed.  
*Hmm, I should still have a few days. There has to be   
something I can do to prepare for their arrival.*  
  
Kodachi took her breakfast in her garden. Exotic plants,   
especially the black roses, extended nearly as far as the eye could   
see in all directions. She liked to crowd the plants in, especially   
near the edges of her greenhouse, to shut out any sign of the Kuno   
mansion just outside.  
It wasn't that she wasn't proud to be descended from the   
noble line of Kuno, she just had trouble with the rest of the current   
crop. Her father was more absent than anything else. He had   
never really concerned himself with her even before he had left for   
Hawaii, except when she needed a haircut. Her brother had been   
bad enough when he'd just been under the delusion of samurai-  
hood, but his sudden and odd fixation on a dumpy tomboy had   
made him even more irritating. The sight of his room, with   
pictures of that girl posted on every available surface, was enough   
to turn Kodachi's delicate stomach.  
But perhaps the most annoying member of her family was   
her mother.  
"Dachi dear, are you in there?" Aika called from an open   
door, thereby ruining the carefully regulated temperature Kodachi   
maintained for her plants.  
*Speak of the devil and she shall appear.*  
"Yes, mother," Kodachi replied in a carefully neutral tone,   
setting down her tea and mentally preparing herself for whatever   
burden her mother would be setting on her shoulders this time.   
There was always something.  
Last time it had been samisen lessons once again,   
something Kodachi hadn't liked when they had been forced on her   
as a child. It was a testament to the will of her instructor that the   
woman had actually appeared for the second lesson, though she   
ended up quitting half-way through it. As usual her mother didn't   
have a word of protest over Kodachi's behavior; she only went on   
to the next thing to mold her daughter into the image she held for   
her. An image that Kodachi was determined to never conform to.  
Aika slowly made her way to the small gazebo in the center   
of the greenhouse. "Dachi-chan, must you really take all your   
meals in this garden of yours? I think it's a trifle unsanitary.   
Besides, I want us three to eat together as a family. The way I   
hardly see you any more, it almost seems like you're avoiding your   
dear mother."  
*That's precisely what I'm trying to do,* Kodachi thought,   
but instead said, "My garden needs careful tending, mother. These   
plants are quite fragile and need to be watched over often."  
Aika nodded as she took the chair opposite. Kodachi   
frowned slightly. She could have sworn that she had personally   
removed all the chairs but one. She was the only one allowed to be   
comfortable in her garden.  
"I could hire a gardener to look after this place for you. We   
can easily afford it," her mother told her in a reasonable tone.  
Kodachi knew that the Kuno fortune was mostly from a   
series of business interests from her mother's side of the family.   
Despite the fact that Aika was now CEO of all that, she still   
seemed to have plenty of time to meddle in the affairs of her   
children. At least Tatewaki took up some of their mother's time.   
Kodachi shuddered to think what her life would have been like if   
she had been an only child.  
"I prefer to tend to them myself," she said with a small trace   
of anger, though none of it showed on her face. This was far from   
the first time that her mother had suggested that she give up her   
garden. And that was something Kodachi would never do.  
"That's your choice, Dachi dear. Besides, I have something   
more important to discuss."  
Kodachi delicately raised one eyebrow. It was unlike her   
mother to give in to anything so easily. What she had in mind this   
time had to be worse than her usual schemes to shape Kodachi into   
a paragon of the cultured and docile Japanese woman.  
"Perhaps this should wait until after school? I've yet to   
finish my breakfast and have to be going soon." That would at   
least give Kodachi time to prepare herself against this, whatever it   
would be.  
Aika shook her head. "It won't take long to explain, and I   
still need time to make certain preparations."  
"Speak your mind, mother," Kodachi said, attempting to   
sound friendly, though on the inside she was even more worried   
than before. Perhaps her barbarian fiance had finally arrived and   
mother wanted them married before Kodachi could find a way out   
of it. No, that couldn't be it. Knowing her mother, the first she   
would hear of it would be at the altar.  
"Well, you know how your mother always wants the best   
for you, Dachi-chan..."  
Kodachi nodded, just to get her mother to get on with it.   
She needed to know what it actually was before she could begin to   
plan some countermeasures against it.  
"Seeing as how you're inexperienced with men, which is   
probably my fault for sending you to that all-women's school, I   
thought it would be best to give you some experience before you   
finally meet your fiance, to help things go more smoothly."  
Kodachi could only look back at her mother in horror.   
Aika had done some outrageous things in the past, but she simply   
couldn't believe that she would hire some male prostitute to have   
sex with her own daughter.  
Aika took Kodachi's choking sounds as agreement and   
continued on. "So the son of a friend of mine, who seems quite   
experienced with dating, has offered to take you out for a night on   
the town. Isn't that nice of him?"  
Kodachi let out a relieved breath, unaware that she was   
nodding along with what her mother had just said. A date with   
some playboy would probably be hell, but she was more than able   
to defend herself from his advances. At least it wasn't what she   
had thought.  
"Good!" Aika exclaimed, sounding very excited. "Now   
don't you worry about a thing. I'll have the whole night planned   
out for you, and I'll even pick out a dress for you to wear. All you   
have to do is be ready by eight o'clock."  
Kodachi frowned. She knew that with her mother there   
was no way she could back out of this now. Aika was too good a   
manipulator to let her daughter escape something when she had   
gotten her to agree with it. Of course, there were plenty of things   
Kodachi herself could do to make sure this date would be a failure.  
"Mother?" Kodachi called out to Aika as the latter made her   
way out of the greenhouse. "What is the name of this boy?"   
Perhaps if she knew more about him, she could get him to cancel   
this date.  
Aika replied with a smile. "Ranma Saotome, Nodoka's son.   
Don't worry, Dachi. He's a perfect gentleman and as handsome as   
they come."  
Kodachi barely noticed her mother finally leave, feeling   
only a slight chill as the temperature dropped a bit from the door   
being opened again. She didn't know how to take her mother's   
words, especially considering the man Aika had married.  
"Ranma Saotome?" Kodachi said out loud as she sipped at   
her now luke-warm tea. "Where have I heard that name before?"  
  
Soun slowly went though his morning exercises, starting by   
stretching a bit to warm up, and then slipping into some medium   
level katas. The same thing he'd been doing for nearly ten years   
now. No need to push himself. His dream of becoming one of the   
top sensei had gotten tangled up with his wife's dream after they   
had gotten married, and when she had died, his dream had died   
with her.  
He still kept up his morning practice because there was   
something comforting about its familiarity. He could lose himself   
in the motions of his body and forget all his troubles for a little   
while.  
Not today, however. Soun really lived for only one thing   
now: his daughters. He wanted their happiness more than   
anything else in the world, and to him that meant marriage.   
Unfortunately, each seemed reluctant in her own way to pursue a   
relationship. Only the very best would be good enough for daddy's   
little girls, but their lack of interest just made his job harder.  
An arrangement with an old friend took care of one of   
them, but what of the other two? He had held off on considering   
the matter until that was all settled, but now he wasn't sure if that   
had been wise. Kasumi was already nineteen, two years older than   
her mother when they were wed. Perhaps the engagement should   
be given to her, since his other daughters, being younger, would be   
easier to find husbands for. He really had his heart set on engaging   
Akane there, though.  
He could wait and see what happened with the arranged...   
but no, it was his hesitation that had created this mess. If he had   
acted sooner Kasumi, and possibly Nabiki, would already be   
married right now, caring for their own families rather than their   
broken-down father. He had a duty, to his children and to his   
departed wife.  
  
Genma was not, by his own admission, the smartest man in   
the world. He really had only two specialties: martial arts and   
food. In any other area he was often operating blind, and things   
had a tendency to go right over his head.  
However, after nearly two decades of marriage, he had   
learned a thing or two about his wife. Her giant grin as she served   
breakfast had to mean something bad for him. This couldn't be   
about the boy's dates two nights ago, because she definitely hadn't   
been grinning like this. This was more of a 'I can't wait for   
something to happen' grin than a 'I'm so glad everything went so   
well' one. He knew it had to have something to do with her having   
her friends over yesterday, and Genma was a bit afraid to find out   
what. When that group got together, the amount of trouble was   
always multiplied. He always did his best to stay as far away from   
them as possible.  
"Genma, our son is so manly that he already has another   
date for tonight!" Nodoka announced suddenly.  
She had waited until Genma was in the middle of a frenzy   
of eating / stealing food from his son to mention this. Her   
announcement froze him in mid-theft, the purloined pickle   
dropping out of his now loosely-gripped chopsticks.  
Ranma could have taken advantage of this, but he found   
that he had suddenly lost his appetite. He had managed to forget   
all about the date in a haze of training last night, but his mother   
wasn't one to let him slip out of this easily. He was still dealing   
with the aftermath of the first one, though he wasn't sure if that was   
the right word for it.  
"How did this happen, boy?" Genma asked his son in anger.   
He had been doing his best to instill the ideal in his son that   
women are basically evil -- except for his mother and sister of   
course -- and should be avoided at all costs because they will do   
anything to interfere with Ranma's training. Unfortunately, the boy   
had the tendency to listen to his mother much more often than his   
old man.  
"Mom set this one up," he explained with a frown.  
"I thought we agreed that you wouldn't do that any more,   
dear," Genma told his wife as politely as he could manage at the   
moment.  
Nodoka smiled, not seeming to notice the anger in her   
husband's voice. "But this time it's as a favor to an old friend, I   
couldn't very well say no. Besides, Ranma has already agreed to it   
and I'm sure the girl is looking forward to spending time with our   
manly son. We can't disappoint the both of them now, can we?"  
Genma nodded absently; he knew it was hopeless to argue   
with his wife. He hoped once again that his old friend would   
finally arrive so they could get this whole matter settled once and   
for all.  
  
"Is there something you want, Father?" Kasumi asked   
delicately. Soun had been glancing at her occasionally as she   
tidied up the living room. Normally, after Akane left he would   
spend an hour or so reading the paper, but he seemed distracted   
today.  
"No... wait, yes there is. Kasumi, could you come here for   
a moment?"  
Kasumi's eyes opening slightly wider was her only sign of   
surprise as she finished up what she was doing and sat down across   
from her father. She felt a bit nervous at the way he was staring at   
her, as if attempting to uncover her darkest secrets by willpower   
alone. Kasumi didn't have any secrets from her father -- well   
except for one...  
Soun struggled for a way to bring up the topic he wished to   
discuss. Finding no way to be casual about it, he decided to get   
right to the point.  
"Kasumi, when I was your age your mother had just given   
birth to you. I can still remember holding your tiny body in my   
arms, deathly afraid of harming you. I was terrified and yet when   
your eyes looked up to me, it was the greatest moment in my life. I   
had never been so happy, not even when your mother agreed to   
marry me."  
Kasumi could only stare back. She felt warmed by her   
father's obvious emotion, but wondered why he was telling her this   
now of all times. It certainly seemed to her to have come out of   
nowhere.  
Soun shook his head to clear it of the memory. The last   
thing he wanted to do now was start bawling again. "What I'm   
trying to say is that you should be experiencing that joy right now   
instead of taking care of your old father like this. I've foolishly let   
my duties slip for you to be unwed for this long, but I think that it's   
time for you to seriously consider marriage."  
It was some moments before Kasumi could even speak.   
This was the last thing she had been expecting. There might have   
been a time when she would have been happy for her normally-  
apathetic father to take an interest in her like this, but that was   
before she had found her own way to fulfill her dreams.  
"What... what do you mean, father?"  
"We will be having guests, perhaps as soon as tomorrow.   
A very old friend of mine and his son, who happens to be about the   
same age as Akane and is heir to the other branch of Stone Fist   
Martial Arts. On the birth of this son, we pledged that our two   
schools would be joined."  
Soun looked up at his daughter in surprise when she started   
to make choking sounds. "Are you all right, Kasumi?"  
"I'm fine, father," Kasumi managed to say, feeling that she   
was anything but at the moment. She knew, deep in her heart, that   
Ranma was just about to finally overcome his shyness and ask her   
out -- and now to find out that she had an arranged fiance since she   
was a few years old! She was still too shocked to be saddened by   
this news.  
"I had planned to only tell you and your sisters when they   
finally arrive so everything could be settled quickly, but after the   
way you and Akane reacted over breakfast yesterday, I wasn't sure   
if this was the best idea any more."  
Kasumi was surprised at all the bitter replies that suddenly   
came to mind, but was able to keep her silence.  
"I hope to engage him to Akane; the bond of one martial   
artist to another would be best for the school. Then the Tendo dojo   
could become a working dojo once again, with the two of them to   
teach. Akane's dislike of the boys at school makes this easier in   
this way, of course, but I have the feeling that she would not accept   
this arrangement with open arms."  
Kasumi sighed, nearly laughing in relief. Her father wasn't   
interfering in her life after all. Still, he was interfering in Akane's,   
which was nearly as bad. Kasumi felt a bit ashamed of her relief   
when to hear this burden was being put on her sister's shoulders   
instead of hers. "So what would you like me to do, father?"  
"Everything possible for Akane to accept this arranged   
marriage. We both know how stubborn she can be sometimes, but   
this really is for her own good. She always listens to you; perhaps   
if she's difficult about this you could help her to see what a good   
idea this engagement is."  
Kasumi nodded. "I'll see what I can do, Father." She   
wasn't about to force her own sister into a marriage she didn't want,   
but there was also no way she was going to marry this boy herself.   
She would have to wait and see this potential fiance first before   
passing judgment. It was possible he could be an acceptable match   
for her sister after all.  
"And if Akane proves too resistant, I want you to consider   
an engagement with this boy. Though I have yet to meet him, his   
father assures me that he is a fine young lad and will make an   
excellent husband."  
"I don't think so," Kasumi said quickly, frantically thinking   
of any way to convince her father that she was not a possible   
option. "He sounds too... immature for me. Akane really is the   
better choice."  
"Well, hopefully Akane will accept him and we won't have   
to worry about that. Then I can arrange an omiai for both you and   
your sister. I already have the name of a nakoudo who has been   
very successful in finding good matches in the past, and has yet to   
have a single failure."  
Kasumi frowned slightly. It seemed like her father had   
suddenly become determined to interfere in their lives and wasn't   
going to rest until all three of his daughters were safely engaged.   
She could tell him about Ranma, but she was worried that her   
father might scare him away. He was so timid around women that   
it had taken her months just to get where they were now. If her   
father suddenly appeared, spouting things about engagements, it   
would surely destroy everything she'd worked so hard on.  
"I already have... someone special."  
Soun blinked, then he smiled. "That's wonderful. Who is   
he? Why didn't you tell me about him before?"  
"I'm... afraid I can't tell you who he is. He has certain   
problems with his parents interfering in his life so we've been   
keeping our relationship a secret, for a little while longer at least. I   
will bring him to meet you once that's been all cleared up,   
however," Kasumi explained nervously. It wasn't exactly a lie; she   
did know that Ranma's reluctance around women stemmed from   
his parents, and that their friendship was something he was keeping   
secret to keep them from interfering with it.  
Soun scratched his chin thoughtfully. "I'm not sure if I   
approve of you seeing a boy I know nothing about. I have to see if   
he's the right man for you, Kasumi."  
Kasumi sighed, wishing her father would go back to his   
normal apathy. "He's very kind and sweet, if a bit shy about some   
things. I know you'll like him once you meet him, father, just give   
us a little more time."  
After a few moments, Soun finally nodded. "Very well,   
Kasumi. I'll trust your judgment in this, but I can't approve of   
marriage until I've judged this boy for myself. Only the best will   
do for one of my daughters."  
Kasumi smiled gratefully. It would be some time before   
Ranma would be ready for that. Hopefully, her father would have   
gone back to his old self by then.  
Soun went back to the paper to hide his grin. He was sure   
that if he just followed his daughter around for a bit, he could meet   
her boyfriend and be able to discover quickly if he was the right   
one for her. Once that matter was settled, he could begin on   
helping Nabiki.  
  
"Mom got you again, huh?" Hitomi asked as she and her   
brother walked slowly to the bus stop.  
"Yeah," Ranma muttered, his head down.  
"Don't worry, I won't tell Nabiki-san about this, even   
though I think she'd understand."  
"Thanks," her brother replied in the same tone, not entirely   
sure what he was thanking her for.  
"So who is it this time?"  
"Daughter of one of mom's friends," Ranma replied   
absently. It didn't really matter to him who the girl was, the date   
would end up a disaster either way. "I think she said her name was   
Dachi."  
"Kodachi?" Hitomi asked slowly in surprise. "Mom set you   
up on a date with Kodachi-sempai?"  
Ranma shrugged, then blinked. "Sempai? So she goes to   
your school?"  
Hitomi snorted. "Goes to my school? Kodachi basically   
controls St. Hebereke. She can leave school whenever she wants   
to, or not go at all. All the students and most of the teachers   
practically worship her like a queen. She's captain of the   
gymnastic team which has yet to lose a match, mostly because she   
attacks the other teams beforehand and forces them to forfeit."  
"She sounds..." Ranma started to say, trying to think of a   
polite way of saying 'total nightmare.'  
Seeing her brother's expression, Hitomi said, "I'm sure   
when I explain the whole situation to her, you'll have nothing to   
worry about. She's not really a bad person, just... completely   
ruthless. You'll be fine as long as you don't do anything to make   
her mad."  
"Right," Ranma replied, now wondering what his chances   
were of going the whole evening without doing something that   
would tick Kodachi off. With his luck, roughly equal to a   
snowball's in hell, he finally decided.  
  
Nabiki was no longer the simple money-hungry girl she had   
once been. She was a business woman now, with a staff to handle   
all the things she now considered beneath her. She still had one   
client who she preferred to handle personally, however. It was not   
out of any interest in him; frankly she could do without his   
company, even if he could be amusing at times. He had a definite   
skill in making a fool of himself.  
No, she handled him personally because his huge ego   
would not allow him to deal with underlings and he was much too   
profitable to Nabiki to let him slip out of her grasp. So she   
tolerated his company for the yen it brought her.  
Nabiki smirked as she walked into the café. Kuno was   
there early as she had expected, despite the hour. "Sorry I couldn't   
hold this meeting later in the day," she told him, not sounding sorry   
at all. "But I have some business after school that I couldn't set   
aside for even you, Kuno-chan."  
"A samurai awakes with the dawn," Kuno told her in his   
usual pompous tone. "To meet you before school is a trifling   
matter for the Blue Thunder."  
"Yeah, right," Nabiki muttered, deciding not to mention his   
mussed hair or the bags under his eyes. She knew the kendoist did   
his best to live up to the samurai ideal, but there were sometimes   
that he fell short. Rising with the sun was one of them.  
"Still, we should transact our business with all possible   
speed. There are things that need to be done, and I do not wish to   
deprive our educational establishment of my presence for too long   
for fear of the damage to morale."  
"And after I rushed out to meet you here?" Nabiki told him   
with a pout. "The least you can do is buy a girl breakfast, Kuno-  
chan. After all, it is what a noble samurai would do, isn't it?"  
Kuno grumbled for a bit, but gave in as he always did. She   
had managed to drive it through his thick skull that a meal was a   
necessary fee for viewing the merchandise.  
The waitress soon arrived at their table. Nabiki ordered one   
of the more expensive items on the menu. She knew that she'd   
never finish it all, but the leftovers would make a nice snack for   
later, or a gift for one of her sisters. She could have easily paid for   
her own meal, but Nabiki was a firm believer in the concept that   
one should never pay for what one can get for free.  
Kuno only ordered a tea for himself. He seemed somewhat   
distracted today and Nabiki idly wondered why. She shook her   
head. It was none of her concern what Kuno might be worrying   
about, she made enough money off him as it was to get even   
further involved in his personal life. It did surprise her how   
patiently he waited for her to finish her meal, which she ate with   
deliberate slowness. Normally, he complained or raved at the   
heavens every five minutes, but this time he just sat there and   
sipped at his tea without a word.  
Despite this, she couldn't help noting the eager gleam in his   
eyes when Nabiki told the waitress that she wanted the rest to go.   
A gleam that didn't even flicker when she handed him the check.   
She considering ordering a coffee just to kill that gleam, but   
decided against it. Not that she had anything against being cruel to   
Kuno, it was just that he wasn't the only one who had things to do   
before school.  
"Now that that matter is settled," Kuno finally spoke. "I   
believe we can move onto business."  
Nabiki nodded and took a manila envelop from the school   
bag, sliding it across the table to him. "Five hundred yen. Each."  
She had the satisfaction of seeing Kuno wince when she   
named her price. She idly wondered just how much he got for an   
allowance each week, and how much was left after she was   
through with him.  
"But the very heavens weep at..." Kuno began to say as he   
opened the envelope and laid its contents on the table before him.   
She had almost gotten used to the way his eyes bugged out and the   
small line of drool formed as the kendoist stared at pictures of   
Akane. It was a bit disgusting, but her disgust was offset by how it   
made him forget completely about haggling about prices.  
She had been selling photos of her sister around school for   
years now, ever since Nabiki had noticed the boys' interest in her.   
She had started doing it out of spite for the way all the boys   
flocked around her sister while ignoring her, and had been very   
surprised at how lucrative the business had turned out to be.  
She didn't know if Akane knew about it or not. It was   
confined to the boys she had no contact with, but Nabiki thought it   
was fairly well known around school. Either way, her sister had   
never said anything about it. Still, Nabiki made sure that the   
pictures were, if not tasteful, at least not risque. For selling to the   
boys at school, Gosunkugi's camera skills were more than enough,   
but Kuno required something special for his particular tastes.   
Those shots she took herself.  
Nabiki was rather proud of her work with these photos.   
She was pretty sure if the whole businesswoman thing fell through   
she could fall back on her skills as a photographer. She was good,   
almost professional, but she still didn't understand the way Kuno   
reacted. All of the photos were of her sister training or working   
out, usually in a white gi, but occasionally her jogging outfit or her   
school uniform. None of them were even close to risque, in fact   
Nabiki thought her sister looked kind of gross all sweaty with those   
weird expressions, but Kuno was always more than pleased by   
them. She had tried selling him some of the 'cute' photos of Akane,   
but he just wasn't interested.  
"Your skill with a camera always astounds me, Nabiki   
Tendo," he praised her. "Surely it is a gift from the heavens."  
"Nice try, Kuno-chan, but the price still stands. Pay me or I   
sell them to someone else."  
Kuno immediately handed over the money, though he   
looked a tad reluctant -- that was until his eyes settled on the   
photos before him once again. "Am I to understand that these are   
the only copies?"  
"It's the same deal as always. Any other prints I make from   
the negatives will be for me or my sister. These shots were taken   
exclusively for you, Kuno-chan."  
"I must always be certain. The great Kuno is not such a   
fool that he would trust the likes of you."  
Nabiki's smirk didn't flicker for an instant, in fact she nearly   
took it as a compliment. "You know I was thinking that after you   
gave up on fighting my sister that you'd given up on her."  
"Never! I could never do such a horrid thing as deprive the   
fierce Akane Tendo of my company. Not even the cold hand of   
death would be enough to sever the bond that unites us together!"  
"Yeah, but with you no longer challenging her, my sister   
might see you as somewhat less devoted. But if you gave her a   
token of your affections, I'm sure she would realize that your   
feelings haven't wavered any."  
"Of course! I should have seen it before! Small actions are   
the deeds of small minds; I must make plain my feelings in the   
most open way possible!"  
As Kuno stood up to leave, Nabiki asked, "Where are you   
going?"  
"I'm off to purchase a dozen... nay, two dozen roses so I   
may shower my true love petals as red as my heart, which beats   
only for her!"  
"But roses are so cliché, Kuno-chan. Actually, I was   
thinking of something more personal."  
"Personal?" Kuno asked, scratching his chin in thought.   
"What exactly do you mean, Nabiki Tendo?"  
Nabiki simply held out her hand in response. Kuno was   
familiar enough with this gesture to ply her with yen until she   
would speak again. Thinking of the fun she would be having at   
Kuno's expense later, she refrained from bleeding him dry, at least   
this time.  
"Now speak that thing which I long to hear," Kuno told her.  
"Well, my sister is the closet romantic type, so I figure the   
best thing for her to remember you by would be a lock of your   
hair."  
Nabiki was surprised when Kuno took a sudden step back   
from her, a look of horror on his face. She even glanced out the   
window behind her, but there was nothing there to cause this sort   
of reaction.  
"A lock of my hair?" Kuno asked slowly, acting as if she   
had suggested that he cut off something else entirely.  
Nabiki nodded and pulled out a pair of scissors from her   
bag. "I can snip off a bit right now and I'll only charge you a small   
delivery fee."  
Kuno's eyes bulged as he looked at the steel scissors,   
gleaming in the early sunlight. He took another step back and was   
clearly shaking. Nabiki would have bet even money that there   
wasn't anything in this world that Kuno was afraid of. So why was   
he staring back in horror at a simple pair of scissors?  
"I'm sure that there is some other way to show my depth of   
devotion to your dear sister than this," Kuno said finally, his voice   
as shaky as his body.  
Nabiki crossed her arms, careful to leave the scissors still   
exposed, and gave him a look of irritation bordering on anger.   
Which was difficult to do at the moment when she was laughing on   
the inside. Kuno afraid of a little haircut. What was next? Ranma   
running in fear from a kitten?  
"I don't know if I like the idea of a man pursuing my sister   
who wasn't willing to do anything for her. It seems that I've   
misjudged you, Kuno. I think it would be better just to end our   
business here and now."  
Nabiki enjoyed watching Kuno's expression during her   
little speech, watching each strike hit him. The first, the suggestion   
that he wasn't good enough for Akane. The deliberate removal of   
'chan' from his name, something which he ironically complained   
about often. And finally, the thought that they should sever all ties,   
making his road to Akane's heart much rockier than it had been.  
"Please hand me the scissors, Nabiki Tendo," Kuno   
requested with an outstretched hand. She could tell that it was   
taking all he had to keep the wavering from his voice and body.   
He shook slightly when the scissors made contact with his skin, but   
there was a flash of determination in his eyes and the shaking   
stopped. He marched off in the direction of the restrooms without   
another word.  
Leaving Nabiki to ponder what had just happened. She had   
gotten to know Kuno pretty well over the time of their   
'relationship', but she had never known about this. She made a   
mental note to look into it later, it might turn out to be useful in the   
future.  
Kuno returned from the restrooms a few minutes later and   
returned the scissors to Nabiki along with a small lock of his hair   
and a few yen notes. It was actually more than Nabiki had been   
planning to charge him, but decided not to mention it.  
"Well, you've restored my faith in you, Kuno-chan. I'll   
wrap this up in a little ribbon and make sure that Akane gets in   
after school."  
Kuno nodded, his earlier fears gone, restoring him to his   
old, arrogant self. "Until next we meet, Nabiki Tendo."  
"See you later, Kuno-chan."  
  
The boys had again gathered before school, united in the   
purpose of defeating Ranma, only there were much less of them   
there then there had been yesterday.  
"Where are the others?" one boy asked in confusion.  
Another shrugged. "They've given up. We couldn't beat   
Ranma with the voodoo on him, how can we hope to ever beat him   
without it? Besides, Akane has made it obvious that she's chosen   
him. There's nothing we can do about it except get beat up again."  
Several of the remaining boys nodded in agreement. Daily   
beatings was starting to lose their appeal, especially when it   
appeared that the prize was now firmly out of reach. Those left   
looked at each other and shrugged. They knew that there were now   
too few of them left to hope to defeat Ranma no matter what   
underhanded scheme they tried. With a sigh of defeat, they left as   
well.  
Only one remained. Gosunkugi was probably the weakest   
of them, but he didn't need their help to defeat Ranma. He had a   
plan.  
  
Kuno strolled casually on the way to school, his mind on   
the one whose photos he now carried in his breast pocket, close to   
his heart as they should be. He already possessed so many pictures   
of her, but he could not stop himself from purchasing still more   
from her mercenary sister.  
He could easily remember when his fascination with Akane   
Tendo had begun. It was a relatively typical day less than a year   
ago. Kuno had been walking along, making his way home, ever   
vigilant, and perhaps hoping, for some sign of danger. He had   
worked and sweated since he was little to become the greatest   
kendoist to ever walk the Earth, but there was little call for his   
services in the peaceful land of Nerima.  
The villain who Kuno had learned his skills to fight against   
in the first place had fled to Hawaii like the true coward that he   
was, leaving Kuno's life tranquil, except for the occasional   
experiment of his twisted sister. The other boys at school, even the   
upperclassmen, already cowered before his might.  
Kuno turned a corner and stopped at the sight which   
greeted him. A half dozen boys from his school, martial artists all,   
stood confronting two girls. The long-haired maiden was   
unfamiliar to him, wearing a girl's middle school uniform which he   
vaguely recognized from his own school a year previous.  
The short-haired one he recognized immediately as   
someone from his own class. She had been glancing in his   
direction and smiling recently, so he was pretty sure that she had   
fallen for his irresistible charm. He didn't want to shatter her   
illusions, but eventually there would be no choice. For Kuno could   
embrace no woman until he had truly mastered his art. Until he   
had found a challenger worthy enough to be called his rival.  
Still, as a samurai it was his duty to aid ladies in distress,   
but before he could rush to the rescue, the long-haired girl began   
to... glow. She shone like a star as blue flames danced all about   
her, a heavenly body brought down to Earth. But nothing so   
delicate as an angel, for her roar was that of a savage beast, a fierce   
tiger. Her movements gave off such a sense of power that Kuno   
could feel them from where he stood, like the aftershocks of an   
earthquake, as she lashed out and struck those boys down with her   
fists. Not one was able to stand before her might.  
Kuno could not approach her then, so shocked he was by   
what he had just witnessed. He could only replay the sight he had   
witnessed over and over in his mind, his wonder growing with each   
repetition. By the time he had finally recovered, the girl that had   
affected him so was already long gone.  
A girl that was his equal in power. Nay, it was obvious that   
she surpassed him. No truer rival could he hope to find, no woman   
more worthy for his love. Kuno decided right then that he would   
not rest until he had made her his.  
  
Kodachi was early for school. It was unusual for her since,   
while she was a relatively early riser, she often had many things   
that needed to be done before going to school; such as tending her   
garden, feeding her pet, and planning her attack against her current   
rival. More often than not she arrived well after the bell had rung,   
but for some reason she was never marked tardy.  
Her mother's latest plans, however, had given her a certain   
drive that morning, as well as the fact that the name 'Saotome'   
seemed teasingly familiar, right on the edge of recall but refusing   
to fully explain itself. It was especially irritating to Kodachi   
because, having virtual no contact with boys her own age, she   
couldn't imagine where it was coming from.  
Kodachi arrived at school as if she owned the place, and in   
the opinion of many of her fellow students, she did. They cheered   
for her as if she were a royal monarch and they her loyal subjects.   
Kodachi had all the bearing of a queen as she strode down the path   
they had cleared for her, nodding to them as she passed. The   
members of the rhythmic gymnastic team quickly fell into step   
behind their captain, her honor guard.  
Kodachi led them to the gym, the seat of her domain. She   
felt like practicing that morning to burn off some of the frustration   
that dealing with her mother always caused her, and to also make   
sure that she was in top form for dealing with her date that night.   
The rest of the team, having rarely had morning practice before,   
reacted sluggishly to this, but it wasn't long before they all fell into   
line. Their captain was not a person one wanted to make upset by   
being slow to follow her orders.  
Outsiders, knowing Kodachi only from her exploits against   
rival teams -- both in and out of the ring -- might have been   
surprised to observe her practice sessions with her own team. Her   
usual viciousness was gone and dirty tricks were being used   
against her rather than by her. It could have been because she had   
no need; she was facing four opponents at once and had no   
difficulty in keeping them all at bay.  
Seeing that she was still in great shape, Kodachi chuckled a   
bit and told the others to continue on without her as she moved to   
the stands and watched them closely, occasionally shouting out   
corrections to her team in a commanding tone. Akiko took the seat   
next to her, handing the older girl a water bottle and a towel, which   
Kodachi accepted with a grateful nod.  
"We were all surprised to see you come in so early,   
sempai," Akiko said, her subtle way of trying to find out why. She   
was curious, but didn't want to ask directly in case it was   
something her sempai didn't feel like talking about. Their captain   
was the sort of person who rarely felt the need to explain herself to   
others.  
Kodachi frowned a bit as she sipped at the water. "Tell me,   
does the name 'Saotome' sound familiar to you?"  
Akiko blinked at the question, which seemed to come out   
of nowhere, but still answered, "It's Hitomi's last name."  
"Hitomi? No wonder it sounded familiar. Do you know if   
she has an older brother?"  
Akiko wondered why Kodachi was asking all this, but it   
really wasn't any of her business. She dug around in her school bag   
and found the Ranma trading cards that Hitomi had given her as a   
bonus once. She had no real interest in pictures of him, but she   
knew that they were rare cards and was planning to trade them for   
something she would like. She handed one of these cards to her   
sempai.  
Kodachi studied the card with interest. On the front was a   
picture of a pig-tailed boy executing some sort of special martial   
arts maneuver, and on the back was a short description of this   
special attack. Seeing the number in corner, she chuckled and said   
in an amused tone, "Making trading cards of her own brother?   
How novel."  
"And they've been selling pretty well too, especially in the   
middle school. I think it's a bit childish myself, but Hitomi gave   
me these cards and I couldn't just refuse her."  
Kodachi had turned the card back to stare at the picture of   
Ranma once again. He was handsome and a martial artist, those   
were two marks in his favor. Depending on his personality, a date   
with him might not be so bad. "May I keep this, Akiko?"  
"Sure," Akiko replied, curious to why her sempai had   
suddenly become interested in Ranma, but hesitant to ask and risk   
annoying Kodachi. It wasn't due to fear, but rather not wanting to   
harm the delicate friendship she had with the older girl.  
The captain of the rhythmic gymnastic team suddenly stood   
and told her teammates, "All right, that's enough practice for now.   
Practice this afternoon is canceled, so you all may go home early."  
"Thank you, sempai!" they shouted back to her and quickly   
made their way to the changing rooms.  
Ranma card still held in one hand, Kodachi set back down   
and told Akiko, "Please tell Hitomi that I would like to speak to her   
at her earliest possible convenience."  
  
Gosunkugi lay in wait, hiding behind a few bushes, his   
vantage point giving him full view of the street before him; the   
perfect place to begin his revenge. He knew Ranma would be   
coming along any moment now, and then he could put step one of   
his operation into effect.  
That was when a hand tapped him on the shoulder.  
"Gah!" Gosunkugi shouted as he jumped from his hiding   
place, his shoulder hitting the sidewalk hard. He turned around to   
see who had dared surprise him so -- and would subsequently be   
the next on his revenge list -- only to come face to face with his   
most hated enemy, Ranma Saotome, standing there and looking   
down at him.  
"I'm really sorry. Here, let me help you up," Ranma said as   
he took Gosunkugi's hand.  
Gosunkugi screamed, feeling if his shoulder was being torn   
from its socket. Ranma blinked and quickly dropped him back   
onto the sidewalk, causing the smaller boy to bruise his tailbone.  
"What did I ever do to make you hate me so much?"   
Gosunkugi asked him, practically in tears. Had Ranma found out   
that he was the one who had put the voodoo on him yesterday?   
Was this the beginning of his revenge? Gosunkugi was normally a   
stranger to pain, but it had quickly become a familiar and hated   
enemy.  
Ranma felt uncomfortable looking down at the boy who   
stared back at him in fear. If there was one thing in the world that   
he couldn't stand, it was a bully, and it was obvious that was how   
this boy saw him. They had all been accidents, but Ranma still felt   
the need to make it up to him somehow.  
Staring at the scrawny boy, Ranma had an idea. Quickly   
taking out his bento, he found exactly what he was looking for.   
His mom had packed him a double lunch just like he had expected,   
and since some of the extra food would go to waste anyway...  
"Here," Ranma said to the boy, handing over part of his   
lunch. "My mom's a real good cook and you look like you could   
use more to eat. To make up for knocking you down these two   
times."  
Gosunkugi smiled slightly, seeing an opportunity, and   
accepted the food with a gratefully nod, Ranma not noticing the   
small puff of fur that Gosunkugi had rubbed on his hand when they   
had made contact.  
Gosunkugi's grin widened as he saw Ranma absently   
scratch at the back of his hand as he walked away.  
  
Nabiki raised on eyebrow to see her number one informant   
looking in even worst shape than usual, and he had never looked   
that healthy to begin with.  
"What happened to you, Gos-chan?" she asked.  
"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered and handed her a   
small doll made to look like Kuno. "Here's the voodoo doll you   
wanted. Just wrap one of Kuno's hairs around it and you'll be able   
to control him, at least until the magic wears off. Was there   
anything else you wanted?"  
Nabiki nodded, thinking of the only current thorn in her   
side. "I want you to find out anything you can about a girl named   
Min-Lin. I don't know her last name, but she works at the Jade   
Blossom restaurant and has recently come from China."  
Gosunkugi nodded. Information gathering, using both   
mundane and not so mundane methods, was just one of his many   
talents. "What's my fee on this?"  
Nabiki grinned. "Swimsuit photos."  
"Swimsuit... photos?" Gosunkugi repeated slowly, suddenly   
feeling faint. He still had the one swimsuit photo Nabiki had given   
him over a particularly difficult job and it was his most treasured   
possession.  
"Two, possibly three, depending on how good your info is   
and how fast you get it to me."  
"I'll have everything there is to know on Min-Lin at this   
time tomorrow at the latest, Nabiki-san!"  
"I'll be waiting, Gos-chan," Nabiki told him as she walked   
away, smirking. It was amazing how hard you could get people to   
work with the right incentive.  
When something rubbed against his leg, Gosunkugi was   
surprised to see that the kitten had followed him to school   
somehow. He gently picked the animal up and told it, "You want   
to see my revenge against, Ranma, don't you?"  
"Meow!"  
Gosunkugi smiled. "This is only the beginning."  
  
Walking into the gym felt a little like walking into the lion's   
den for Hitomi. It wasn't that she was actually afraid of Kodachi,   
no way, it was just that she knew she had to be careful around the   
gymnast.  
She saw Kodachi sitting up in the stands in the uniform of   
the high school, twirling something small and flat in her hands.   
Her curiosity over what it could be almost made Hitomi ignore   
how truly alone and defenseless she felt with only the two of them   
alone in the cavernous gym.  
Hitomi slowly made her way over to the gymnastics   
captain, her own footsteps sounding very loud in her ears. The   
confidence with which she had told her brother she'd handle things   
with Kodachi had really been just boasting. Confrontations with   
the older girl always made her feel vulnerable, for some reason she   
couldn't readily explain. All of her normal tactics froze up under   
Kodachi's cold gaze.  
The older girl finally looked up at Hitomi as the younger   
reached the stands. She said nothing; there was a welcome smile   
on her face, but her eyes were still hard, as if they could stare right   
through Hitomi. The younger girl might have been learning at the   
feet of the master of manipulation, but Kodachi was the mistress of   
intimidation.  
"Please take a seat beside me, Hitomi," Kodachi told her in   
a reasonable tone. "I have a few questions for you."  
"Hai, sempai," the younger girl replied, taking the seat   
indicated. Hitomi could see now that the thing that Kodachi held   
was one of her Ranma trading cards, a rare one that Akiko must   
have given to her.  
"I understand you've been marketing cards of your brother   
to your fellow students."  
The statement took Hitomi a bit by surprise. She had   
expected something about the date that night. It was clear to her   
that Kodachi knew about it. "Hai."  
"And I hear they're selling quite well."  
"Hai," Hitomi said again, a little worried where Kodachi   
was going with this. She had just sunk most of her earnings into   
the second series, making it into a collectable card game this time,   
and the girl sitting next to her so calmly could prevent her from   
selling them with a single word. All the money would be lost and   
her business destroyed with a single nod from this girl who ruled   
the school with an iron grip.  
Kodachi chuckled. "It's very clever of you, I must admit.   
I'm quite impressed. It's something that I wish I had thought of,   
though I do believe that photos of my elder brother wouldn't sell   
nearly as well."  
Hitomi laughed too, feeling her earlier tension leave her.   
Kodachi was smiling at her now, but more importantly her eyes   
were filled with mirth. It seemed that for whatever reason, the   
older girl was trying to be friendly with her.  
Kodachi continued. "Though I've never met him, I would   
guess that this photo captures your brother very well, and I'm sure   
that the other pictures are just as good. However, they don't   
express for me what he would really be like in person. I have to   
admit after seeing this I'm a bit... curious as to what he's like."  
Hitomi frowned inwardly, doing her best to not let it show.   
She would have guessed that Kodachi would have been the last   
person to be interested in her brother, however instead of trying to   
get out of the date, she actually wanted to know more about him.   
Hitomi knew how weak-willed her brother was with women, so if   
Kodachi decided that she wanted him, Ranma would probably let   
her walk all over him and there wasn't much Hitomi could do to   
stop her. And she already had enough problems with Min-Lin to   
deal with.  
She could try telling lies about her brother to get Kodachi   
to break off the date, but Hitomi had a feeling that the gymnast   
would be more likely to make their date hell. What was worse,   
Kodachi would figure out rather quickly that she'd been lied to.   
The rose-obsessed gymnast acted a bit crazy at times, but she   
definitely wasn't stupid. Hitomi decided to go for the truth and   
hope for the best.  
"Well, Ranma is... Ranma. He's kind of hard for me to   
describe. Let's see, the most important thing to him is martial arts   
and he spends nearly all of his time practicing. He also likes to   
cook, especially spicy food. He likes to eat even more though. He   
doesn't do that well in school, but it's really because he doesn't care   
about school much. He's not dumb or anything. Contrary to my   
mom's opinion, he's pretty shy around girls his own age and is   
more likely to have things go completely wrong than anything else.  
"And I almost forgot. Wherever my brother goes, trouble   
always follows. I mean it's like completely impossible for him to   
go a day without getting into a fight or something else bad   
happening to him. So far every date he's ever been on has ended in   
disaster."  
Hitomi had hoped that that last bit would have discouraged   
Kodachi, but she seemed more interested than ever.  
Kodachi mentally checked off every point that Hitomi   
made about her brother. The gymnast came from a family of   
martial artists -- even her mother was one, though she hadn't   
practiced for years -- so that wasn't a problem to her. Better than   
being some sort of wimp. A strong man was much preferred.  
Cooking caught her a bit by surprise, but it was a welcome   
one. Kodachi herself liked to use a great deal of spices when she   
cooked, even though her spices were more exotic than most, but   
having someone else to cook for besides her ungrateful brother   
would be quite nice.  
School mattered little to her and shyness was something   
that could be worked on. Kodachi was confident that it was   
something she could eliminate rather quickly. She had to do that   
for some of her teammates in the past.  
As for trouble... Kodachi liked trouble. It was so much   
better than the drab dreariness of her usual life. She looked   
forward to any sort of mayhem to spice up her normal routine, and   
a boy that was guaranteed to bring it to her was simply too   
delicious for her to resist.  
"I will look forward to meeting him, then," Kodachi said   
with a smile as she stood and left the gym, leaving a confused and   
worried Hitomi behind.  
  
Ranma totally missed Kuno leaning by the front gate of the   
school as he passed him by. The back of his hand had suddenly   
become very itchy and he was doing his best to not think about it   
and avoid scratching, but his other hand seemed to have other ideas   
and kept creeping closer to scratch.  
"Hold, Saotome!" Kuno shouted.  
Ranma turned around to see the kendoist standing there,   
bokken in either hand. He decided that if he was calling him by   
name, then he couldn't be mad at him for anything. "Hi, Kuno,"   
Ranma said casually. "What do you want?"  
"Have you forgotten our pledge between men? The solemn   
vow we undertook not two days ago near this very spot? Those   
cowardly dogs interrupted this momentous event yesterday, so   
instead today must be our day of reckoning!"  
Ranma stared at the spouting kendoist while he checked his   
memory for any clue of what he was talking about, only to come up   
blank. He opened his mouth to ask for clarification, but wasn't   
even sure what needed to be clarified. "Huh?" he ventured.  
Kuno grinned smugly to note the crowd of fellow students   
that had begun to gather around him. He silently led the confused   
Ranma to the center of the school yard while the pig-tailed boy idly   
scratched at his arm.  
"This bokken has been made especially for me by the finest   
bokken-maker in all of Japan," Tatewaki told Ranma solemnly as   
he handed the mock-weapon to him. "Use it with pride."  
Ranma took a long look at the bokken he now held limply   
in his hand and then slowly turned to stare at Kuno, who was now   
assuming the basic kendo stance. "Huh?" he tried again.  
"No, no, don't hold it like that," Kuno instructed while   
gesturing forward with his own bokken. "More like this. See?   
Your left hand is applied thusly while your right is placed here.   
Notice how I grip the mock-blade tightly, to better smite my foes?"  
It dawned on Ranma then that for some reason his   
anachronistic upperclassman was trying to teach him kendo. He   
had no idea why, but Kuno had helped him out in the fight   
yesterday and the pig-tailed boy felt like he owned him for that.   
Besides, he wasn't about to turn down free martial arts lessons,   
even if it was an armed school. So he went along with it: placing   
his hands as instructed and mirroring Kuno's stance.  
Kuno nodded in satisfaction and continued on with his   
lesson. "My former instructor, whom I have greatly surpassed, was   
always of the opinion that one learned by doing, so I wish you to   
practice your technique on my person."  
When Ranma had finally figured out what Kuno wanted, he   
asked, "Are you sure?"  
"Fear not, you will come to no harm. Now, attack me!"  
Ranma shrugged. If that's what the man wanted, he wasn't   
the sort of person to deny him. He leaned forward a bit and   
charged, bokken held out in front of him, closing the distance   
between him and Kuno in a second. At the last moment, he leapt   
up and kicked his opponent in the head, knocking him to the   
ground.  
Kuno immediately sprang back up with a large shoe print   
on his face and shouted at his new pupil, "With the bokken, you   
fool!"  
Ranma looked at the piece of wood he held in his hands in   
surprise, having completely forgotten about it when he had   
attacked. "Oh," he said, rubbing the back of his head in   
embarrassment.  
Both of them returned to their former positions and stances,   
Ranma's expression now as serious as his opponent's. He already   
did know a little about kendo, but it was mostly ways of countering   
it. He had seen it practiced several times in movies or at the dojo   
his pop worked at, but he had never desired to learn it before and   
so hadn't really been paying attention. His father had always   
stressed that weapons were for the weak and didn't want his son   
picking up some lesser martial art.  
Ranma closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to   
work this out. All he had to do was use his stick to hit Kuno while   
avoiding the kendoist's own stick. It sounded pretty simple in   
theory, though he wasn't sure how good it was going to be in   
practice. He was at a serious disadvantage here, limited to only   
fighting with the bokken, not to mention his whole right arm was   
itchy now and it kept throwing off his concentration. He knew that   
he could beat Kuno in an unrestricted match, but in kendo? It   
seemed very unlikely. This was only practice, but then Ranma   
never liked to lose at anything.  
The pig-tailed boy opened his eyes and charged again,   
feigning an attack at Kuno's waist, but planning to switch to his   
right shoulder at the last moment. He was confident that his speed   
would be enough to overcome Kuno's skill.  
Ranma realized too late that the reversal robbed the blow of   
its strength, and his strike to Kuno's shoulder was light as a gentle   
rain. He felt Kuno's return blow fly by his side, tearing his school   
uniform even though the bokken was an inch away from him. He   
didn't like to think of what would have happened had the kendoist   
been actually trying to hurt him.  
"Guess you won that one, Kuno," Ranma said with a small   
laugh, wondering if the lesson was over for today as he scratched at   
his shoulder with the bokken. He only felt a bit humiliated losing   
like that, but wasn't thrilled with the idea of a dozen similar   
defeats.  
"Pay attention!" Kuno shouted, bonking his student on the   
head with his bokken.  
Ranma rubbed his head with a frown, not liking the   
kendoist's serious expression one bit. It was the sort of look his   
pop got when it was obvious his son didn't like whatever new   
training scheme he had dreamed up.  
"Your stance was too loose. That is perhaps fine for   
another, lower form of martial arts, but not for kendo!" Kuno   
instructed as if he were imparting the secrets of the gods to Ranma.   
"Your stance must be firm as stone. Your stride must be strong as   
well as quick, like the howling wind. Your blow must flow like   
water, with all the power of the mighty ocean behind it! And your   
heart must be filled with a righteous fire that will burn your enemy   
when you strike!"  
"Um, can you be more specific?" Ranma asked as he   
scratched the spot right under his neck. Like his father, he had   
never really found the philosophical side to the Art all that   
important or useful. Just show him what to do and he would do it.  
"But of course," Kuno declared and proceeded to instruct   
Ranma on basic kendo stances, blows, and defensive strategies.  
  
"You're planning something aren't you, sempai?" Kyoko   
asked. She and her boss were currently looking down at the little   
training exercise Kuno and Ranma were having while the other   
factors were moving through the throng that surrounded the two   
martial artists, selling videos of the Wrecking Crew fight   
yesterday. On the cover was a picture Akane knocking the leader   
out of the yard while glowing brighter than a Christmas tree. It   
was already selling well.  
"What makes you say that, Kyoko-chan?" Nabiki asked   
with a smirk, tearing her gaze away from the window, away from   
Ranma. She was currently hoping that Naoko would do as good a   
job with the fight she was currently taping as she had done with the   
Wrecking Crew one. The girl was relatively new to her little   
organization and had a somewhat mouse-like personality, but she   
already showed great promise with her camera skills, though   
Nabiki hoped that this time she wouldn't focus quite so much on   
Kuno. There had been twice as much footage of him than Ranma   
and Akane combined, but thankfully that was easily taken care of   
with a little editing. She made a mental note to sell Kuno the cut   
footage at an inflated price.  
"Because you always have that same smile when you're   
planning something especially devious, sempai," Kyoko told her a   
bit smugly, feeling proud of herself for making this observation.  
Nabiki chuckled. "Looks like I'm going to have to keep a   
close eye on you from now on, Kyoko-chan. You know me so well   
that you could take my business away from me."  
"I..I would never do that," Kyoko stuttered, blushing   
heavily.  
Which Nabiki failed to notice because she had already   
turned to peer out the window once again. "I was only kidding,   
Kyoko-chan. I think that out of all my factors, I can trust you the   
most."  
Kyoko nearly fainted. Instead, her eyes were very wide and   
her cheeks felt like they were burning. It was a while before she   
could even speak, and even then it was hard for her to get the   
words out. "I'm honored, sempai. I'll try... no, what I mean is, I'll   
do my best to live up to your trust."  
"Don't sweat it, Kyoko-chan," Nabiki told her factor. "And   
take a look at this."  
Kyoko glanced at the small doll her boss had just taken out   
of her purse. It had a strong resemblance to Kuno down in the   
school yard, complete with miniature bokken.  
"But why...?" she asked in confusion. Nabiki was   
definitely not the type to play with dolls, at least she had thought   
so. It was much too childish for a mature woman like her.   
Besides, she knew better than anyone what low regard her boss had   
for the delusional kendoist.  
Nabiki grinned her devious grin. "Just watch and see."  
  
After a few more exchanges, with Kuno always the victor,   
Ranma was starting to feel he was getting a hand of this kendo   
thing. Now it was only this itching that kept throwing him off. His   
whole upper body begged to be scratched in a voice that grew   
progressively louder. It was becoming hard to ignore.  
With a deep, calming breath, Ranma charged again, fire   
burning in his eyes. *I will end this now and have a good soak.*  
Kuno was impressed with how quickly his pupil had picked   
up kendo, though he did his best not to show it. He also tried to   
avoid thinking that it had taken him much longer to learn. This   
was enough to leave him slightly unprepared for Ranma's charge.  
The two fighters blurred, moving faster than the eyes of the   
spectators could follow. There was a moment of silence when they   
separated, each gulping air as if they had just run a marathon.   
Then the crowd gasped to see the large slash that had appeared on   
the front of the upperclassman's kendo outfit, though Kuno himself   
appeared unhurt.  
People began to mutter about Ranma winning for once   
when there was the sound of tearing of cloth, sounding strangely   
loud in the school yard. The right sleeve of Ranma's uniform now   
rested on the pavement, having been cut nearly clean off. A tie.  
Ranma stared at his now bare arm in some surprise, and   
then a little worry about what his mother would think about the   
current state of his relatively new uniform. *I know, I'll just tell   
her I was mobbed by a bunch of girls,* he thought, then shook his   
head. *That'll just make things worse.*  
Then he was shocked to find that his bare arm was no   
longer itchy, while the rest of his upper body felt like it was being   
pricked with a thousand pins. With a cry of relief, he quickly   
unbuttoned his top and threw it to the pavement, not noticing the   
girl who ran up and snatched it. He turned to Kuno in the proper   
kendo stance, bokken held firmly before him and smug grin on his   
face. He was sure to win this time.  
  
"Here you go, Akane," Yuka told her, dropping the top of   
Ranma's uniform into her friend's hands. They had been watching   
the match between Kuno and the pig-tailed boy since it had begun.   
She had tried to talk to Akane at the beginning, but had given up at   
the lack of responses. She couldn't help noticing how her friend's   
eyes had been locked on Ranma the entire time.  
"What are you giving it to me for!?" Akane asked in a mix   
of anger and bewilderment, glancing back and forth between her   
friend and the garment.  
Sayuri ran up to them and dropped the severed sleeve on   
top of the uniform. "There you go, a complete set. Had to move   
fast too, another girl almost got it before me."  
"What makes you think I want it at all!?" Akane demanded.  
Her friends gave her sly looks. "Oh, come on, Akane,"   
Yuka said. "We're your friends. It's obvious that you have the hots   
for Ranma, we're just trying to help you out."  
"Yeah," Sayuri added, not giving Akane a chance to speak.   
"Guys are so clueless about stuff like this, but if you stitch this up   
with a red thread and give it back to him, he might get the idea."  
"It's not like that at all!" Akane shouted, so loudly that it   
almost drew the crowd's attention away from the fight. Luckily for   
Akane, the current combat was much too interesting to be missed.  
"Well, what is it like?" Yuka asked with nudge and a grin.  
"Oh, yes tell us," Sayuri jumped in, nudging Akane from   
the other side. "Have you kissed him yet?"  
Akane immediately turned beet red in embarrassment with   
the very idea of kissing anyone.  
"You have!" her friends squealed in delight.  
"Haven't!" Akane shouted back at them, still blushing   
heavily.  
"My, such a strong denial," Yuka commented to Sayuri   
with a smirk.  
"Yes, I wonder whatever could it mean?" Sayuri replied,   
matching her look and tone.  
Akane sighed, feeling a very large headache building.   
"There is nothing between Ranma and me, nothing. Do you   
understand?"  
Akane walked away from her friends without waiting for an   
answer. She just couldn't deal with them when they acted like that.   
In her preoccupation, she had unknowingly hugged Ranma's   
uniform close to her.  
"Nothing? How disappointing," Yuka commented to her   
best friend.  
"Yes, yes," Sayuri agreed immediately. "We have to do   
something about that."  
"Definitely," Yuka replied with a grin, a plan already   
starting to form.  
  
Kyoko turned to make a sarcastic remark about Ranma   
giving the girls a show when she suddenly realized she was now all   
alone in the room. Her boss had been there a moment ago, but in   
her place sat the Kuno doll.  
Nabiki flew through the halls, her camera clutched firmly in   
both hands. Gosunkugi was already taking pictures of the fight, but   
she had a feeling that he wouldn't be inclined to take many shirtless   
Ranma shots no matter what she had said to him.  
She could tell by the way that the enthusiasm of her fellow   
female students had suddenly increased when Ranma had become   
bare-chested that beefcake shots of him would sell well. Of   
course, she planned to keep the best shots for herself. Nabiki   
blushed a bit as it occurred to her that her student Hitomi could get   
even more interesting pictures of her older brother.  
  
Ranma stared with a frown at Kuno while he felt the earlier   
pins and needles sensation returning, now covering his whole body.   
He desperately wanted a bath to soothe his skin, but it didn't look   
like his opponent would let this match end until the bell rang or   
Ranma had scored a decisive victory, and the pig-tailed boy   
couldn't wait for school to begin.  
With a yell, he charged, but stopped short when Kuno   
raised up his bokken and bonked himself in the head. The kendoist   
glanced at the crowd, his eyes full of suspicion. "What foul   
sorcerer would interfere in an honorable match between men?   
Show yourself!"  
The crowd all glanced at each other in confusion, while up   
above on the second story of the school, Kyoko giggled. Out of all   
of them, only Nabiki was able to figure out what had just   
happened. Gosunkugi would have, but he was concentrating too   
much on Akane holding Ranma's uniform top tightly and cursing   
the pig-tailed boy to pay attention to the fight.  
Nabiki was a bit concerned since she couldn't have fun with   
Kuno and take pictures of Ranma at the same time, the latter being   
more interesting to her. There was also the fact that Kyoko seemed   
to dislike Ranma for some reason, but then again a loss could   
benefit his character. She liked confident guys, but not ones who   
were completely full of themselves. Ranma could stand to be a bit   
more humble.  
Then Nabiki shook her head to clear it of such thoughts and   
made the best of this unique photo opportunity.  
  
Back in the school, Kyoko was having the time of her life.   
She wasn't fond of either of the fighters, so messing with the both   
of them at the same time was a rare opportunity for her. She wasn't   
sure how this little doll could control Kuno, but she was eager to   
find out. That would have to wait until later, however, since she   
had a fight to interfere with.  
She watched as Ranma charged again, still looking faintly   
confused. Kyoko slid the Kuno doll out of the perceived path,   
causing the pig-tailed boy to land face-first in the dirt. She couldn't   
help laughing when she saw his expression. No wonder her boss   
liked manipulating people, this was too much fun.  
Now it was Kuno's turn to look stupid. She may have   
disliked Ranma more, but the kendoist normally looked like such a   
fool that he didn't need bothering with. However, opinions of him   
at school had begun to change after the fight yesterday. Kyoko   
didn't see what was so great about being good at beating people up.   
Her sempai could handle situations like that without ever resorting   
to violence.  
Kyoko smiled to hear Ranma's angry growl as he charged   
this time. She had her Kuno doll take a step and then trip, placing   
his head directly in the path of the oncoming bokken. She had to   
clamp her jaw shut to keep from laughing loudly when the impact   
drove Kuno feet-first into the school's stone wall up to his knees.  
As Ranma tried to tug Kuno out, Kyoko used her doll to   
make him shoot out like a cannon, making his head hit Ranma hard   
in the stomach, and knocking them both to the ground in an untidy   
heap. Seeing the machoist kendoist's head lying on Ranma's bare   
chest, Kyoko laughed until the tears came to her eyes.  
When she finally recovered a few minutes later, she noticed   
that a hair was sticking out of the doll. With her neatness instincts   
kicking in, she reached forward to pluck out the hair.  
  
Kuno was burning with anger after the latest incident. He   
stood and glared hard at the crowd around him, shouting in rage,   
"Coward, who can only work though the agency of the black arts, I   
demand you come and face me so I can give you the righteous   
smiting you so very well deserve!"  
Ranma thought that this had to be the work of whoever had   
manipulated him yesterday, which he had all but forgotten about   
once school had started. He had a feeling that they would never   
find whoever and how they were doing it, that is unless that made   
it worse. That was how his life worked.  
Besides, he was way too itchy to even care about anything   
else. His whole body felt like it was on fire and he was desperate   
for some nice cool water to soak it in. He was tempted to run now   
in search of the school showers or something, but his pride would   
not let him run away and look like a coward here, especially not   
from Kuno.  
"One last pass to decide this, Kuno," Ranma told him. "We   
both charge each other and the one to score a blow wins. I doubt   
whoever is interfering will do anything for this last one. Besides,   
either way it'll be over."  
"I concur, it seems to me a good plan. Let Furinkan high   
witness the true glory of kendo, greatest of all martial arts!"  
Teeth clenched together, Ranma said nothing. He just   
wanted to get this over with.  
They took their places some distance opposite each other.   
There was a somber look in their eyes that hadn't been there before   
as each sized up his opponent, their hands before them, bokken   
gripped tightly, feet braced against the earth. In every motion they   
were like mirror images, including the deep breath they took before   
they charged.  
The crowd was silent, and the two opponents made no cry   
or shout this time. The only sound was the tapping of their feet on   
the pavement, each step propelling them forward, increasing their   
speed until they finally struck with the loud crack of wood striking   
wood, the force of their collision sending up a small dust storm,   
obscuring the two combatants.  
As the cloud cleared, Kuno was frozen in place of his final   
strike, staring ahead with a shocked expression at his bokken --   
noble wood which had been crafted for his hand alone -- broken in   
half.  
Ranma waved his hand in front of his upperclassman's face,   
trying to get some response. After a few moments, Kuno blinked   
and said in a voice that was almost the opposite of his usual   
arrogant tone, "It seems that I have lost."  
The pig-tailed boy smirked to hear such an admission from   
the one person he had thought would never admit defeat. He was   
tempted to go along with his statement, but he had found out in   
those few days that Kuno wasn't really as bad as he had once   
thought. In fact, he was almost becoming a sort of friend.  
"I'd think again, Kuno," Ranma told him, holding up his   
own bokken which had been completely severed in half, and   
gesturing to his neck which now sported a large bruise from the   
resulting air pressure of the kendoist's blow.  
Kuno's expression flickered as he returned to his normal,   
arrogant self. "Well, of course, no one could hope to defeat the   
supreme master of kendo, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, but   
with the help of my excellent teaching, you are well on the way to   
becoming a master kendoist!"  
"Um, thanks," Ranma told him, not feeling right to mention   
that it was something he hadn't been particularly interested in   
learning in the first place. Useful perhaps in the future, but right   
now his own Anything Goes martial art served him much better.   
"But I've got to go."  
And with that, Ranma ran in the direction of the school's   
swimming pool, not noticing Kuno suddenly collapsing behind him   
like a puppet whose strings had just been cut.  
  
Ranma plunged into the cool, refreshing waters of the   
school's pool with a great sigh of relief, feeling the itchy sensations   
that had been driving him mad earlier all drift away. It was so   
relaxing to just float there with no worries that her felt his eyes   
beginning to close.  
"I can understand wanting to get clean after that fight,   
Ranma, but it might have been better to use the showers in the   
locker room."  
Recognizing the voice, especially the tone, Ranma turned   
around quickly to see Nabiki standing by the poolside, towel in one   
hand, camera in the other. "I was kind of in a hurry," he explained   
weakly.  
Nabiki nodded. "You going to come out now or stay in   
there all day? Bell is about to ring," she told him with a smirk.  
Ranma reluctantly pulled himself out of the refreshing   
water, looking down in dismay at his shoes and uniform pants, all   
soaked clear through, not really hearing the small clicks as Nabiki   
took some quick photos. Luckily, he had a full change of clothes   
for gym in his locker. He was actually a bit happy to have an   
excuse not to wear that uncomfortable uniform in school, but didn't   
think his mother would be pleased by the state his clothes were in.  
He was surprised when Nabiki started patting him down his   
shoulders and chest with the towel. "You... you don't have to do   
this."  
Nabiki rolled her eyes. "Of course I don't have to. Now   
bend down so I can dry your hair."  
Ranma was feeling very uncomfortable standing there   
staring at Nabiki's feet as she ruffled his hair with the towel.  
"Don't worry, no one can see us," Nabiki said as if she   
could read his mind. "Everyone has gone into class already."  
"So don't you have to get to class too, Nabiki?"  
Nabiki ignored the question. "Almost done... there! That's   
as dry as I can make you, at least. If you hurry, you'll have time   
enough to get changed before the bell."  
Ranma stared into her smiling face as he tried to fix his   
now messed up hair with one hand. He felt a sudden urge to do   
something to thank her for this, something to return the affection   
she had been treating him with since their date. He couldn't bring   
himself to kiss her; thanks to his mother attempted kisses had   
always lead to sudden beatings in the past. Besides, he wasn't   
entirely sure about how he felt about her. But he had to do   
something.  
"Thanks, Nabiki," he told her sincerely as he reached out   
and slowly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a gentle   
hug. Nabiki stiffened immediately from his touch, which almost   
made him pull away, but then she relaxed and began to hug him   
back, laying her head on his bare chest.  
The pig-tailed boy had no idea how long they had stood like   
that until Nabiki hesitantly pulled away from him and said, "No   
problem, Ranma-kun. Just tell me in advance the next time you   
decide on jumping into the pool half-dressed. I'll bring a comb."   
There was a faint blush on her cheeks now, and her eyes seemed to   
shine.  
Realizing she was joking, Ranma laughed lightly and told   
her, "I will", before hurrying along to school for a quick clothes   
change.  
Watching him go, Nabiki glanced down at the now damp   
towel she held and thought out loud, "I completely forgot that I   
have swimming in gym today."  
"Oh well, it should be dry by then," she added a moment   
later, her blush deepening.  
  
Akane was thankful that neither of her close friends were in   
home ec, though this time it wasn't over the embarrassing mess she   
always made whenever they cooked something. She had a feeling   
that they would be accusing her of all sorts of things as she   
carefully tried to sew Ranma's uniform back together. The   
teacher's glance had been embarrassing enough, though she hadn't   
said anything about it.  
She was simply doing something nice for a friend, as a sort   
of way of making up for the wrong way she had reacted to him   
when they had first met. Akane was definitely not using red thread   
like her friends had suggested. No, good solid black so it blended   
in with the sleeve. Of course this made it a bit hard for her to see   
where she had already sewn, but if she sown the same place two or   
three times, she reasoned that it would just make the stitching extra   
strong.   
"There, I'm done," Akane said with a breath as she looked   
over the now reattached sleeve with a smile of accomplishment.   
There was something that didn't look quite right about it when   
compared to the other sleeve, but Akane thought that it was just   
how it was lying there before her.  
It was only then that she noticed the heavy silence of the   
room. She looked around to see that she was the only person in the   
room. Glancing up at the clock, she made a small shout of surprise   
and dashed off to her next class, ten minutes late.  
  
Ranma was sitting under a tree in a red Chinese shirt and   
black pants, lunch in his lap, as he waited for Akane to appear. He   
was pretty hungry after expending all that energy in his morning's   
fight with Kuno, but thought it would be rude of him to start   
without her.  
He avoided being rude to people on general principle -- he   
had enough people angry at him as it was -- but in this case it was   
thoughts of the martial arts maneuver that Akane had done   
yesterday that made him so considerate. That had been more than   
impressive; it certainly beat his father's technique of running away.   
If he could learn that, his old man would have a big surprise in   
their next training session.  
Akane appeared moments later, acting a bit more timid than   
she had at lunch yesterday. She stood next to him for some   
moments in silence, before she suddenly said, "Here!", dropping a   
black bundle of cloth onto his lap and sitting back down next to   
him all in one motion.  
As she dug in her bag for her bento, Ranma held up the   
garment to find that it was his missing uniform top. In all the   
confusion that followed the fight, he had completely forgotten   
about it. Then he noticed that the severed arm had been stitched   
back on.  
"Did you sew this?" Ranma asked a bit nervously as he   
peered closely at it.  
"Hai," Akane replied with a faint blush. "What do you   
think? I'm not usually very good with sewing, but I think I did a   
pretty good job this time."  
Ranma thought it looked like it was sewed by a blind man   
while riding on the back of an porpus, but decided that it wasn't the   
sort of thing to say to someone who you wanted to teach you a   
secret technique, unless one wanted to see the technique   
demonstrated up close and personal.  
"It's... great. Thank you, Akane," he finally said with only a   
slight hesitation as he quickly folded it up and put it away.  
Akane's blushed deepened a bit. No one had ever praised   
her for her domestic skills before. Even her home ec teacher   
thought that she was a hopeless case. Her older sister still patiently   
tried to help her, but Akane had the feeling that Kasumi was doing   
it more out of an obligation than any belief that her little sister   
would improve.  
"It was nothing," Akane told him, starting in on her lunch to   
hide her embarrassment. After a moment, Ranma did the same,   
and they ate in silence until both bentos were empty.  
They both seemed to notice the other was finished at the   
same time. They both turned and said, "I was wondering..."  
Akane blushed again and said, "You go first."  
"No, you," Ranma insisted, having completely forgotten   
how he had planned to ask Akane about her ultimate attack. "Since   
you stitched up my shirt, you should be the one to go first."  
"Okay," Akane agreed a bit hesitantly, taking a calming   
breath. It was a blow to her pride as a martial artist to ask this, but   
she didn't see any other way of improving. "After seeing you train   
with Kuno today, I was wondering if you could help teach me to   
improve my martial arts. I really want to be faster... and less   
clumsy, I guess."  
Ranma sighed in relief. For a minute there, he was sure she   
was going to ask him out on a date, and he had more than enough   
trouble with that already. "Sure, I'd be happy to help you improve.   
You can teach me some of your school and help out my form at the   
same time."  
"I really don't think there's anything I know that would help   
you, Ranma," Akane admitted honestly.  
"What about that rock fist, or whatever you call it? Your   
ultimate technique?"  
"I can't really teach you that."  
"Oh," Ranma said as the realization hit. "It's because I'm   
not a member of your martial arts school, right?"  
Akane shook her head. "No, it isn't that. The Stone Fist   
isn't something I can use whenever I want to. Actually, I've only   
been able to use it a few times, and my father has only ever been   
able to use it once. I can only hope to use it when I get really,   
really angry, and even then it doesn't always work. It's not a very   
good ultimate technique."  
"Better than the one I've got," Ranma told her. "So when   
do you want to do this?"  
Akane blinked at him in surprise. "You mean you still   
want to train with me?"  
"Of course," Ranma told her with a confident grin. Just   
because she didn't think it could be taught, didn't mean Ranma   
couldn't learn it. He had mastered supposedly impossible   
techniques before. Besides, he did owe Akane, up to three times   
now for sewing up his shirt, even if her sewing looked a little...   
peculiar.  
"We can start right after school! My family has a dojo and   
everything!" Akane nearly shouted in excitement. She had been a   
little girl the last time she had someone to really spar with and she   
was thrilled with the idea of someone her own age treating her like   
a serious martial artist, even if he was a bit... no, more than a bit,   
better than her.  
The phrase 'family dojo' sounded very familiar to Ranma,   
but for some reason he just couldn't place it. Well, he figured, if he   
couldn't remember it couldn't have been that important.  
"How about tomorrow instead? I've got a lot of things I   
need to do after school," Ranma offered, dreading his upcoming   
date and all the preparations that it would entail.  
"That'd be great!" Akane enthused, beaming at him.  
Seeing Akane's smile, Ranma could understand why Kuno   
was so crazy about her.  



	8. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ramna 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
Much thanks to David Smith and Richard Beaubien for their C&C   
on this chapter.  
  
***  
  
Feeling a bit like a little girl again, Kasumi carefully locked   
her bedroom door and tip-toed over to her desk. She knew her   
father was the only one in the house and he would never intrude on   
his daughter's privacy, but this was just part of the ritual for her. It   
was something she had been doing for so long that she felt   
uncomfortable abandoning it, from a time when her younger sisters   
had been much more nosy.  
Removing her diary from bookshelf -- disguised by a dust   
jacket as a book about Taiwanese herbal medicine -- she unlocked   
it with the key she always wore around her neck. Flipping to the   
first blank page, she began to write yesterday's entry.  
Before, whenever Kasumi had something worth recording,   
she'd write the entry at the end of the day, just before going to bed.  
Ever since she had met Ranma, however, she'd been spending so   
much time reading over the previous entries that she never had   
time to write a new one. She also found that thinking about it the   
next day brought to mind all of these little details which she hadn't   
really noticed at the time, making the memory more vivid when   
she read it back.  
Kasumi had been writing in her diary for a long time now.   
The book had been a gift from her mother after she had done   
particularly well on a writing test in elementary school. At the   
time, her mother had told her that it was a magical book which   
could keep all of her precious memories fresh and new. Even after   
Kasumi's childish belief in magic had faded, the diary had   
remained one of her most treasured possessions, and she used it   
only to record the most special things that happened to her.  
After she finished recording every detail that she could   
remember of her latest meeting with Ranma, Kasumi flipped back   
a bit to browse some of the more recent entries. The two kanji   
characters that made up Ranma's name seemed to be on every   
single page. Had anything interesting at all happened to her lately   
that didn't involve Ranma? She couldn't think of a single one.  
She also noted that she had been writing in her diary much   
more often lately. Before she had been averaging about an entry a   
month, but now she would be surprised if a week went by and she   
didn't have anything to write. Not many blank pages remained   
either. She would have to buy a new one, but was reluctant to do   
so. It wouldn't mean as much to her as this one did, but it really   
was a foolish notion of hers that one person's life could fit in a   
single book, even one as mundane as hers. For a life like Ranma's,   
it would probably take thirty eight volumes for a single year.  
  
Chapter 7: Seven Requirements for an Ideal Evening  
  
Kyoko was shaking a bit as she waited at Nabiki's locker.   
She had rushed to there as soon as the bell had rung, and now   
waited filled with anxiety. Her last class of the day was math,   
which was her best subject, but rather boring for her as she already   
knew more than the teacher did about the subject. Besides, he was   
a new student teacher that she didn't like very much.  
Having free time, Kyoko had glanced around the room,   
noting that the only other person who wasn't paying the lesson   
much attention was Ranma, who had a glazed-over expression that   
would indicate to anyone looking in his direction that his mind was   
miles away. The teacher failed to notice.  
This got Nabiki's number one assistant to thinking about all   
that had happened at school in the few short days since the pig-  
tailed boy had shown up, especially involving her boss.  
Thinking about her attempts to ruin their big date, Kyoko   
began to feel guilty. She still loathed Ranma, considering him the   
symbol of everything wrong with men everywhere, but she had   
deliberately abused the trust of her boss, a person who had treated   
her with nothing but kindness since they had first met.  
  
It had been the first day of school and Kyoko had always   
been a rather timid girl to begin with, but attending high school for   
the first time honestly terrified her. She had been clutching her   
school bad before her as protection as she took small steps to pass   
the threshold into the school yard, her mother having already   
driven off with a short wave and a smile.  
In the middle of the yard, a large brawl was in progress.   
One boy seemed to be taking on all the other boys at school, and   
what was surprising was it looked like her was winning. Kyoko   
had been going to an all-girls school up to that point and being an   
only child of an overprotective family, had very little contact with   
persons of the male gender, especially around her own age. As a   
first impression, it would have been hard to make a worse one.  
Then she saw a girl with short, dark hair making her way   
through the crowd and into the area where the fight was taking   
place. Kyoko closed her eyes in fear, expecting this brave girl to   
get pummeled, but when she opened her eyes a moment later, the   
girl was still unharmed. In fact, the boys parted and made way for   
her like they were actually afraid of her, even though she didn't   
make a single threatening gesture. She simply passed through their   
ranks without so much as acknowledging their presence.  
The girl paused before the boy who had been defeating   
everyone and Kyoko blinked in surprise when he immediately   
stopped fighting and turned to face her. He didn't seem afraid, but   
Kyoko got the feeling that somehow this girl was a more   
formidable opponent for him than all of those boys combined. She   
talked to him for a few moments in a voice too low for the new girl   
to make out, and then suddenly the fight was over, as if by magic.  
Kyoko approached the girl afterwards, still in awe of what   
had just happened. She herself had always been a weak girl who   
the stronger girls picked on and bullied around, but here was   
someone who could stop a big fight like that with only a few   
words. Kyoko needed to know how she had done it.  
"Excuse me," she said as the girl was changing her shoes.  
"Yes?" the girl asked, turning around to give Kyoko a   
neutral look; not hostile, but not exactly friendly either. "Is there   
something you want?"  
Kyoko blushed, looking down at her feet, and stammered,   
"I was... just wondering how you stopped that big fight, that's all."  
Nabiki smirked. "Kuno there wanted to make a good   
impression on my sister's first day, but threatening to cut off his   
photo supply made him think otherwise."  
Kyoko blinked at her in confusion.  
"You must be new here too, right?" Nabiki asked with a   
welcoming smile Kyoko now knew was designed to put people at   
ease. "I'm Nabiki Tendo, sophomore. Pleased to meet you."  
Kyoko took the offered hand and shook it lightly, as if   
afraid it would bite her. "Kyoko Ashida, freshman... though you   
already guessed that," she replied with a nervous little laugh. "I'm   
sorry, I'm just not used to so many people. I went to a small all-girl   
school before."  
Nabiki nodded as if she had figured it out the moment she   
had seen her. "Don't worry, Furinkan isn't as bad as it looks, but if   
anyone gives you any trouble, just tell them you're with me, okay?"  
Kyoko nodded, smiling in gratitude.  
  
She blinked when a hand softly landed on her shoulder,   
turning to stare directly into the eyes of her sempai, eyes now   
unusually tinged with concern. "Is everything okay, Kyoko-chan?"   
she asked.  
"Yes, of course!" Kyoko answered quickly, feeling a bit   
nervous with Nabiki being so close to her. "What makes you ask   
that, sempai?"  
"Well, you've been staring at my locker for five minutes   
now," Nabiki told her, her look of concern fading into her usual   
smirk.  
Kyoko frantically thought up an excuse. "I was just   
calculating the potential profit for tape sales of Ranma and Kuno's   
fight today, based on the sales of the Wrecking Crew one. I think   
that with the right angle, we could match those profits."  
Nabiki suddenly patted her on the head, causing the   
younger girl to blush. "That's my Kyoko-chan. Who needs a   
calculator when I have you around?"  
Kyoko marshaled together the small remainder of her   
courage and said hesitantly, "Um, we could discuss it over parfaits,   
after you finish editing from the master." It was a way for her to   
make up for her recent behavior, and something other girls did   
together all the time.  
"I'll have to take a rain check on that, Kyoko-chan. Hitomi   
is coming over after school today. We have some... things to   
discuss. I'm trusting Naoko to edit the tape this time. She was   
really eager to do it, and she knows her stuff. Probably do a better   
job than me."  
"Hai, sempai," Kyoko replied, head down, before walking   
away.  
  
Nabiki was still wondering what was up with Kyoko lately.   
She hadn't actually known the girl for very long, but thought she   
had a pretty good sense of her, that is until that week. *Hmm, it all   
started when Ranma had shown up.* Nabiki remembered when   
she had first asked her assistant about the pig-tailed boy, the   
indifference that she had answered with, but on later reflection an   
indifference that seemed forced.  
Idly correlating all mentions of Ranma around Kyoko as   
she strode through the gates of the Tendo compound, Nabiki   
started to develop an odd picture. Kyoko seemed a bit furtive   
whenever Ranma was mentioned, and even when she stated her   
dislike, there was something that didn't ring quite true. It sounded   
a bit too much like her sister Akane's denials.  
Kyoko was one of the few people that had known about her   
date with Ranma, and her anger at him seemed to have started after   
that. Was it possible that her assistant had developed a crush on   
Ranma? It was something that needed further study. If it turned   
out to be true, she would have to make sure that Ranma let the girl   
down gently. It was the least she could do for her dedicated   
assistant. Even if Nabiki hadn't been developing a relationship   
with the pig-tailed boy, she knew Kyoko wasn't his type at all.  
Nabiki nearly collided with Akane who was similarly lost   
in thought. Her sister blinked at her, still seeming out of it. The   
mischievous girl in Nabiki rose up with a smile as she told her,   
"Hold out your hand and close your eyes because I've got a big   
surprise for you."  
Though looking more confused than ever, Akane did as she   
was told. "If it's a rubber snake, Nabiki, it isn't going to scare me   
this time. I'm not five years old anymore."  
"Your lack of faith wounds me, sis," Nabiki told her in a   
mocking tone as she dug around in her bag and gently set a lock of   
hair secured by a white ribbon in Akane's hand. "Okay, you can   
open your eyes now."  
Akane cautiously opened her eyes, only to blink in surprise   
at what she now held in her hand. "What is this?" she asked her   
sister, bewildered.  
"A lock of hair. Can't you tell?"  
"I know it's a lock of hair, Nabiki!" Akane yelled at her in   
anger. With all that had happened to her lately, the last thing she   
needed was to figure out her sister's little games. "What are you   
giving it to me for?"  
Nabiki opened her mouth to tell Akane the truth, or rather   
something very close to the truth, when she stopped herself and   
smirked, sensing a rare opportunity.  
"It's Ranma's. I thought you might like it, seeing as how   
you've been mooning over him since he transferred to Furinkan,"   
she told her sister, surprised by the undertone of bitterness that   
began to creep into her tone. Min-Lin was understandable   
considering the way the blonde bimbo had acted, but jealous over   
her own sister? Ranma must have gotten to her more than she had   
thought.  
"Not you too!" Akane shouted, though her tone was more   
of an appeal this time. "Why does everyone at school think I'm   
interested in Ranma?"  
"Maybe because you've been having lunch with him, and   
helped him out on two separate occasions, when everyone knows   
you wouldn't normally lift a finger to assist a boy. I even heard a   
rumor that you sewed his uniform back together for him," Nabiki   
listed with a smirk, feeling confident from the way her sister was   
reacting that her interest in Ranma was far from romantic, but a bit   
worried by the lock of hair now clutched so firmly in her hand.  
Akane blushed and stammered, "It's... it's not like that.   
Everyone is just jumping to conclusions. I just want Ranma to   
help me with my martial arts, that's all."  
"Are you sure?" Nabiki asked pointedly.  
"Of course," Akane answered with more confidence than   
before. "He might be a good fighter, but he's still a boy."  
Smiling at the amount of venom her sister could pack into a   
single word, Nabiki lightly patted her on the head and told her, "I   
believe you, Akane."  
"Thanks, Nabiki," Akane told her with only a trace of   
confusion.  
Waving it off as if it were nothing, Nabiki retreated to her   
room, an odd smile on her face. Unsure of what all that had been   
about, the youngest Tendo sister entered her own room.  
Akane stared at the lock of hair now lying on her desk and   
wondered what to do with it. She couldn't return it to Ranma   
without creating entirely the wrong impression with him and their   
classmates, but she didn't feel right in just throwing it away either.   
Finding an empty shoebox left over from the shoes she had bought   
for high school, she dropped the lock of hair inside, closed up the   
lid, and shoved it under her bed. She'd think of something to do   
with it later.  
  
"Oh, Kuno-sempai," Naoko sighed as she watched over the   
cut footage from the Wrecking Crew fight and the kendo training   
session with Ranma for about the dozenth time.  
She had already finished editing the training session for   
Nabiki-sempai, following her instructions to the letter so that the   
final master ended up as 3/5ths Ranma and 2/5ths Kuno. She   
realized only afterwards that she had probably only meant it as a   
general outline and not something that needed to be timed to the   
second, but Naoko enjoyed the effort anyway, even though it had   
taken a long time to get right.  
Naoko was very meek and mouse-like, usually preferring to   
sit at the back of the classroom and hide behind her large glasses,   
doing her best to never have the teacher call on her. Not that she   
wouldn't know the answer -- she always did her homework and   
read ahead on her lessons -- but she was terribly afraid of speaking   
in public. Whenever she did, her voice would crack and she would   
feel acutely embarrassed.  
Reading up on her problem, Naoko had discovered that   
what she lacked was a sense of self-confidence. Finding no clear   
answer in her books about how to gain some, she instead looked   
around in real life for a good example of it. She didn't have far to   
search.  
At first she had only starting watching Kuno in order   
discover the secret to his confidence, but the more she watched   
him, the more she became awed by his other abilities; the refined   
way in which she spoke, his mastery of kendo, his knowledge of   
poetry, his looks. The last one had stuck Naoko like a thunderbolt;   
Kuno was handsome, there was no arguing that for her. The proof   
was there in every glance of his serious eyes, the tilt of his well-  
formed features, his body rippling with muscle...  
Naoko quickly grabbed a tissue to stop a sudden nosebleed,   
now staring at the footage of the kendoist standing there bare-  
chested as he heaved for breath, looking strong yet vulnerable at   
the same time. This was another thing that surprised her. She had   
never gotten nosebleeds before, it was just that sometimes when   
she stared at Kuno-sempai, it felt as if all the blood was rushing to   
her head. This, she reasoned, was yet another thing not covered in   
her books.  
Naoko had joined the A/V club for the sole reason of   
recording the kendoist in action, with hopes of better understanding   
him and her reactions to him. She had joined Nabiki-sempai's   
organization for the same reason, since most of her business   
seemed to be on or around Kuno.  
When Ranma entered in a shot with the kendoist, Naoko   
blinked and studied the pig-tailed boy for a moment. Nearly the   
whole school, and especially the girls, had become fascinated with   
the new student from the moment he had arrived, but Naoko really   
couldn't understand it. Even if he might be a better martial artist   
than Kuno-sempai, he certainly wasn't as confident, cultured, or as   
handsome, at least in her opinion.  
She blinked again when Akane entered the shot. This girl   
was an even bigger mystery to Naoko. Kuno frequently did all   
sorts of romantic things for Akane, but she just wasn't interested.   
How was it possible not to be interested in Kuno-sempai?  
"She must be a lesbian," Naoko concluded logically as   
popped out the tape and finally headed home. She obviously had   
more research to do.  
  
Ranma dreaded coming home, even more so than usual. He   
knew that his mother would be busily planning out his date down   
to the smallest detail. It was bad enough he had to go on it, hearing   
about it beforehand would only make him worry more.  
Using his martial arts skill, he silently climbed the fence   
and slipped into the Saotome yard, bending down to keep out of   
sight while he was careful not to make a sound. Scaling the side of   
the house to get into his bedroom window on the second floor was   
a bit trickier, but for some reason his father's art had situations like   
this covered.  
He wasn't at all prepared when his mother suddenly opened   
the window the rest of the way and said, "There you are, son. I've   
been looking for you."  
"You have?" Ranma asked with dread as he clung to the   
side of the house.  
Nodaka nodded and stuffed a short list into the front of his   
shirt. "Aika and I are so busy planning out your little date tonight,   
that I completely forgot to do my shopping for the day. Could you   
pick me up a few things?"  
"Sure," Ranma replied, feeling a bit confused as his grip   
started to go.  
"Thank you, son. Don't worry about your date, it's going to   
be so much fun I wish I was going with you."  
Ranma didn't have the chance to tell her what he thought   
about that idea because his grip had slipped completely and he   
tumbled to the ground below, knocking the breath out of him.  
  
Hitomi was by nature a very curious person. When she   
became curious about something, she couldn't rest until she knew it   
inside and out. Which is how she had become Nabiki's student in   
the first place, and the reason that she was heading to the Tendo   
house immediately after her juku instead of going home first. She   
couldn't rest until she heard Nabiki's side of the date.  
She also liked success, and reversely loathed failure. It was   
one reason why she kept up her business at school even after a   
rough start, and one of the reasons why she was so determined to   
make sure that Nabiki and her brother ended up together. This   
success would be sweeter than all others combined. The fact that   
she loved them both also helped.  
Soun Tendo answered the door, causing Hitomi to frown   
internally. He was a nice man, if a bit... emotional sometimes, but   
she wasn't exactly thrilled with the way he perceived her.  
"Hello there, little girl," he spoke to her in a oddly cheerful   
tone that most parents used to talk to small children. "My, it's been   
such a long time since you've visited last. Would you like some   
candy? I think I have some nice chocolates in the kitchen."  
"Um, no thank you, Mr. Tendo," Hitomi told him in as a   
polite tone as she could manage, even though on the inside she was   
screaming, *I am not a little girl!* "I'm here to see Nabiki."  
"Big sister Nabiki is up in her room right now, and I'm sure   
she'll be delighted to see you," Soun said in the same tone as before   
as he moved aside to allow her to enter.  
Hitomi quickly took of her shoes with a muttered 'thanks' in   
an effort to hurry upstairs before he could say anything else to her.  
She almost made it. "You have fun playing now, little   
girl!" he shouted to her.  
Hitomi only shook her head as she stomped up the stairs,   
idly wondering how her sensei would feel if her student convinced   
her father to beat up Nabiki's.  
Soun didn't think much more of her as, seeing Kasumi   
about to leave on her usual shopping trip, retrieved something from   
the attic and stealthily followed.  
  
Upon returning home directly after school, Kodachi was   
surprised to not find her mother there waiting to ambush her about   
this date of hers. Aika was rarely content with her daughter's   
verbal acquiescence; her particular brand of encouragement usually   
lasted right up until the actual event she had been forcing on   
Kodachi. Her mother's absence was surprising to say the least, and   
disappointing since she wanted to see her expression when she   
casually agreed to all of her demands, with a smile no less.  
Knowing that her prospective date's sister wasn't the best   
source for an unbiased opinion, Kodachi had done a subtle probing   
for more information on Ranma. Using her father's access to   
educational records had been particularly helpful. It seemed that   
her date could not stay at one school very long, and that this   
problem had only worsened when he neared the end of middle   
school and into higher education.  
Ranma had been branded a troublemaker at an early age   
and that seemed justified since whenever there was a problem at a   
school, he was always in the middle of it. Some schools had had   
him transferred just to keep the property damage down. He   
wouldn't be having the same problem at Furinkan at least, if they   
could put up with Tatewaki...  
Kodachi blinked as she realized that Ranma was now going   
to the same school as her brother.  
The Black Rose hesitantly knocked on the door to her   
brother's training room. Deep down in her heart where she hardly   
ever looked, Kodachi loved her brother, she just only preferred not   
to deal with him if she had the choice. Then again, his opinion of   
Ranma might prove useful.  
"You may enter," Kuno said from somewhere beyond in his   
normally arrogant tone, though there was a hint of something else   
there that she couldn't place.  
Kodachi cautiously entered, relieved to see that there were   
far fewer pictures of that girl Akane than in his room. That such a   
violent, unfeminine girl could exist was enough of a surprise to   
her, but the fact that her idiot brother practically worshipped her   
every breath made the Black Rose feel ill.  
Kuno was practicing his kendo on a defenseless training   
dummy, a practice Kodachi had never understood since she much   
preferred a live opponent. When a challenger couldn't fight back it   
was hardly a challenge at all, in her opinion. There was something   
different from his usual practice today; he seemed slower but at the   
same time more precise, as if this was his first time using a bokken.  
"Do you know the whereabouts of our esteemed mother,   
brother dear?" Kodachi asked in her most polite tone, talking a bit   
more formally than she was used to in order to set her brother at   
ease.  
Kuno turned away from the practice dummy and told her, "I   
believe she is currently visiting with her confidant, Nodoka   
Saotome."  
"Saotome?!" Kodachi said in surprise, hearing the surname   
of the boy she was planning to lead the conversation to. She knew   
of her mother's friend vaguely, but not recalling her name until that   
moment.  
"Saotome?!" Kuno echoed a moment later, making the   
connection himself suddenly, though for a different reason.  
"She must be Ranma's mother!" they both said   
simultaneously, and then stood blinking at each other.  
Kuno was the first to regain the power of speech. "Dear   
sister, how is it you are aquatinted with Saotome Ranma?" he   
asked, sounding very puzzled.  
Kodachi wasn't at all sure what to tell her brother since she   
could tell nothing of his attitude towards Ranma from his tone.   
They could be hated enemies or the best of friends, but either way   
would probably bring her brother's interference in the upcoming   
date, which would be annoying to be sure.  
"His younger sister attends middle school at St. Herbeke,   
and I have some business with her from time to time," Kodachi   
said casually. "How do you know of him?"  
Kuno drew himself up and related to his sister all he knew   
of Ranma, from their first encounter that set them as bitter rivals,   
up until the pig-tailed boy had become his student in the grand art   
of kendo. Kodachi knew that her brother was telling her all this   
from a very skewed point of view, which was the only sort   
Tatewaki had, but it still filled in a few more blank spaces in to   
what to expect from Ranma.  
"And is he as obsessed with this... common girl as you are,   
brother dear?" Kodachi asked with a frown as she indicated one of   
the photos of Akane, frozen in half-punch.  
"Why must you always refer to her in such a fashion?   
Akane is a paragon of womanly virtue, an angel that no other could   
hope to rise above. If you were in her presence for but a moment   
you would see this."  
"If you say so, brother," Kodachi replied with a wave of her   
hand, not believing it for a minute. She was positive that actual   
exposure to this dumpy girl would only make her loathe her more.   
"Does Ranma feel the same as you?"  
"Though he is perhaps not nearly as devoted as I," Kuno   
declared arrogantly, "he does also strive to protect her from the   
base criminals of the world. He even guards her during lunch,   
which being in another grade, sadly I can not do."  
Kodachi's frown deepened. She made a mental note to find   
out the truth of that right at the beginning of the date. She would   
not waste any of her precious time with someone devoted to that...   
girl.  
  
Nabiki hurriedly hid the photos of Ranma she had been   
looking over when there was a knock at the door, then blushed to   
realize she was acting like a kid again. She wondered what sort of   
power Ranma held over women to get to just about every one that   
he came in contact with, including her.  
"Glad you could make it, Hitomi-chan," Nabiki told the girl   
with a grin and a small bow.  
"Thanks for inviting me, sensei," Hitomi replied, returning   
the bow and the grin.  
Impulsively, Nabiki reached out and mussed the shorter   
girl's hair, earning a short giggle from her student. It was really   
good to see Hitomi in the flesh again. Corresponding over e-mail   
just wasn't the same.  
Hitomi's bookbag dropped on Nabiki's desk, the two girls   
sat on the latter's bed and talked of various little things, though   
unlike most other teenagers, their talk was centered more on   
finance that anything else. Neither of them played the stock   
market, but they liked to keep their eye on it and make predictions   
of its future, a game they played with each other to see which   
phantom stocks would become the most valuable.  
"I win this time, sensei," Hitomi declare with a smile as she   
added up her figures on the pieces of scrap paper Nabiki had   
broken out. "My single share of Tokemeki Inc. puts makes my net   
worth just above yours."  
Nabiki smirked as she mentally went over her figures yet   
another time. "Yep, you beat me this time, Hitomi-chan, but I've   
been a little too distracted lately to give this my full attention. In   
fact, I was wondering..." Nabiki began to ask, glancing over the   
spot where she had hid her photos of Ranma, taken earlier that day   
after he had lost his shirt... the fight to Kuno.  
"First, I have a gift for you, sensei," Hitomi interrupted with   
a grin as she dug around in her back, only to pull out what looked   
to be a photo album, which she dropped right onto her sensei's lap.  
With slight hesitation, Nabiki opened it and slowly began   
to flip though, staring at all the trading cards it contained, each one   
some image of Ranma on the front, and a fact about him on the   
back. They weren't professional quality, but it was still impressive.   
Most amazing was the sheer variety of the images. Some   
made Ranma look like an unbeatable martial arts machine, while   
others made him look weak and vulnerable. A few, especially the   
eating series, were very silly, though it was bare-chested shots that   
Nabiki lingered over the most. There were even some of him as a   
child, a cute face with such an innocent smile that Nabiki couldn't   
help but giggle.  
"You did this all for me?" Nabiki asked in surprise as she   
continued to flip through them. "How did you throw this together   
so fast?"  
Hitomi blushed a bit before explaining, "Actually, I started   
this a few months ago, though only finished the set recently. I kind   
of got the idea from you selling pictures of your sister, though I   
was surprised how popular trading cards of Ranma became at my   
school."  
"Actually, I think it's brilliant. Why didn't you mention this   
before?" Nabiki wondered if she could do the same thing with   
pictures of Akane.  
Hitomi blushed more at her sensei's praise. "Well, it's kind   
of embarrassing, really. I love my brother, but I really didn't think   
many people would be interested in pictures of him. I didn't tell   
you because I was almost sure it would fail and was a bit worried   
about what you might save about it. After it took off... I didn't   
want to seem like I'm telling you how to run your business, sensei.   
Besides, I didn't think you'd be interested in pictures of Ranma."  
Nabiki put an arm around her student's shoulders, drawing   
her into a half-hug. "You had no reason to worry about what I   
might say. Even if you had a bad idea, as your teacher it would be   
my responsibility to help you improvement. You should be   
trusting your own instincts anyway, not trying to second guess me.   
The most important opinion of a business woman is her own. And   
don't think I'm so perfect that I couldn't use a suggestion or two   
myself."  
"Hai, sensei!" Hitomi answered with a grin.  
"As to the rest..." Nabiki's voice faded as her eyes were   
drawn back to the glossy Ranma trading card album on her lap.   
Her cheeks developed a light blush. "It's your fault I'm interested   
in Ranma in the first place."  
Hitomi took out a box of pocky out of her bag and shared   
them with Nabiki, making themselves both comfortable for the   
lengthy tale to come. The younger girl avoided sweets as a rule,   
but an elementary student had offered it in trade for a set of Ranma   
cards and Hitomi didn't have the heart to say no.  
She took a bite of the chocolate-covered cookie stick and   
said, "Okay, tell me all about your time with my brother, and don't   
just stop at the date like he did."  
Nabiki smiled as she took a bite of her own pocky stick and   
began, "I was sitting by the window, watching my sister's fights as   
I always do, but your e-mail about how I should find something   
outside of business kept me distracted. I wanted to find something   
that would really be fun and exciting. I wanted to go on a nice date   
with someone I at least had half the chance of finding interesting,   
which immediately excluded everyone at school already.  
"Maybe it was fate that Ranma choose then to make his   
dramatic entrance, catching my notice in an instant. You might not   
think so, Hitomi, but your brother is handsome, especially when   
he's in motion for some reason. He'd probably hate to hear it, but   
he's really graceful when he fights, almost like a dancer. He was   
clearly a troublemaker, but I decided that he might just be worth   
the risk and considered asking him out, but without any clear plan   
of how to go about it."  
"Wow, even before I set the both of you up?" Hitomi asked   
in surprise. "Maybe it was fate."  
"Maybe," Nabiki replied with a small smile as she   
continued. "Then I came home and got your reply. A blind date   
was the last thing I expected, or wanted, but when I saw that your   
brother was the same boy I had been staring at that morning, I   
nearly jumped in surprise. With all this, I couldn't pass this offer   
up.  
"The next day I felt eager, almost giddy, for what was going   
to happen that night. I'm normally pretty pragmatic, sometimes   
even pessimistic, but for some reason I had a lot of hope this time   
that everything would turn out right. Ranma might turn out to be   
less than perfect, but I was determined to have a good time."  
"And did you?" Hitomi asked with a sly sort of gin.  
"Patience, I'm getting to that," Nabiki replied with a smirk.   
"I rushed to get dressed, fussing over every last detail, though more   
for myself than your brother. I wanted to look my best so I'd feel at   
my best, I suppose. Anyway, I arrived a bit late to find Ranma   
already waiting under the streetlamp, the meeting place you had   
chosen…  
"What?" Hitomi said finally after her sensei had eyed her   
suspiciously for a few moments.  
"Oh, I was just wondered that if I were in your shoes and   
trying to set up my sensei with my brother, what lengths I would go   
to make sure the date was perfect, like picking out a meeting spot   
with the proper romantic mood. Choosing a streetlamp far away   
from the others so that only sight my sensei would see would be   
her date, waiting for her, carnation in hand."  
"Really? It must have been a coincidence," Hitomi said   
nervously and changed the subject. "Isn't that the carnation by the   
window?"  
Nabiki carefully set aside the card album, though leaving it   
open and where she could easily glance at the pictures or Ranma,   
walked over to her windowsill and retrieve the carnation in its   
crude cup. She smiled a bit sadly to see how much more it had   
wilted since the last time she had checked it. Sniffing at the   
remains of its once vibrant scent, Nabiki sat back on the bed,   
cradling it in her lap.  
"Yes, we greeted each other and he gave me this carnation   
which obviously you had provided for him while wearing the tux   
which you just as obviously had made him wear. I would have   
been able to ignore all that if not for the nervous and socially   
clumsy way he acted. Things were pretty awkward right up until   
the restaurant. I wasn't sure if it was me or something else, but   
your brother was definitely nervous about something."  
"Err, I should have warned you that wherever my brother   
goes, trouble seems to follow," Hitomi explained. "He was   
probably expecting a challenger to ambush him or something. I'm   
sure it wasn't you."  
"Little late for that warning," Nabiki said with a smirk.   
"Anyway, he was less nervous when we reached the restaurant, to   
the level one would expect from a first date. He even held my   
chair out for me when we were seated.  
"Things went... okay, I guess as we looked over the menus.   
We didn't talk much, but I could feel the nervousness that hung   
between us gradually decreasing. I had hopes that once we were   
comfortable around each other, the date would pick up. That was   
when our... waitress arrived."  
Hitomi blinked and stared at her sensei with a puzzled   
expression. She had never heard Nabiki sound so angry before, she   
was practically growling.  
"Min-Lin... like every man's fantasy girl and almost   
immediately she was all over my date because they happened to   
have known each other over a decade ago. Now I was a stranger to   
their tearful reunion."  
"So that's what that... girl was babbling about," Hitomi said   
with a frown.  
"You've met Min-Lin too then?" Nabiki asked, noting the   
ire in her student's voice.  
Hitomi nodded. "I was nearly suffocated by her. I've never   
met a more annoying girl in my life. She didn't even realize she   
was embarrassing me in front of my friends!"  
Nabiki raised an eyebrow and said in a conspiratorial voice,   
"It seems we have a mutual enemy."  
"Yes," Hitomi replied with a grin. "I think we have no   
choice but to do something about her.  
"Lesson one of getting revenge is to find your enemy's   
weakness and exploit it," Nabiki lectured.  
Hitomi replied, "Leave that up to me, sensei."  
  
As she explained the rest of her date and her other   
encounters with Ranma with far more honesty than she normally   
would have, Nabiki's face reddened until by the end she was clearly   
blushing as she looked down at the trading cards of Ranma, idly   
flipping through them as she spoke.  
*Yosh!* Hitomi thought excitedly, things had gone far   
better than she could have hoped, especially with her brothers   
ability to get into trouble. It was clear that her sensei had strong   
feelings for Ranma. The only problem might be his feelings for   
her, something she was going to have to look more into.  
"So have you shown him how to use e-mail yet, Hitomi-  
chan?" Nabiki asked after a few moments of silence had passed,   
disturbed only by the crunching sounds of the last of the pocky   
being consumed.  
"Um, not yet," Hitomi admitted hesitantly. "I can't today   
either because our mom forced him to go on a date tonight."  
"A date?" Nabiki asked in surprise, but with slightly bitter   
undertone. "With who? Min-Lin?"  
"No, actually with... Kodachi."  
"Kodachi?" Nabiki asked, sounding twice as surprised as   
before. "Kuno's sister, the militant gymnast, that Kodachi?"  
Hitomi nodded sadly, worried how her sensei was taking   
this news.  
Nabiki suddenly burst out laughing, so much so that tears   
came to her eyes. "Poor Ranma-kun," she said with a smile as she   
wiped away half-formed tears. "He really does have the worse   
luck."  
"Then you're not mad at him?" Hitomi asked.  
"Mad? Why should I be? His mother is forcing him to go   
on a date with a girl who couldn't get a date any other way, and for   
good reason too. Ranma is going to have enough to deal with   
without me getting angry at him."  
"That's good," Hitomi said with a small smile. "He was a   
bit worried that you might be."  
"That's sweet of him," Nabiki replied with her own smile.   
"Still, I am curious about how this date will go. Maybe we should   
find out?"  
Hitomi had been Nabiki's student long enough to guess   
what she was thinking. "My brother is pretty sharp when it comes   
to being followed. He's sure to detect either one of us."  
"That's what assistants are for," Nabiki replied with a smirk   
as she picked up her phone and dialed Kyoko's number.  
  
"Ranma!" Kasumi shouted in both surprise and joy to see   
the pig-tailed boy waiting by a bakery that was there usual meeting   
place whenever he was able to shop with her. She always enjoyed   
the smell of fresh bread wafting out to them as they met, it was   
pleasant and somewhat romantic to her.  
When he turned and smiled at her, the eldest Tendo sister   
started to feel a bit weak in the knees. After all that had happened   
recently with her sister and now her father, it felt really good to see   
the joy she could bring to his face, a frown transforming to a grin   
almost as if by magic.  
Ranma practically bounced over to her, his footsteps so   
light that he hardly seemed to touch the ground. *He's more wild   
rabbit than horse sometimes,* she thought with her own smile.  
"You seem to be in a good mood, Ranma-kun," Kasumi   
ventured, wondering, hoping, that it had something to do with her.  
"I'm just happy to see you, I guess. It's nice to know that   
there's at least one normal and sane person in my life."  
Kasumi blushed, looking down at the ground. "Thank   
you," she managed to say.  
Ranma stared back at her in puzzlement. "Is something   
wrong, Kasumi?"  
"No, nothing, I... just have a slight cold today, that's all. I'm   
surprised to see you shopping again, has your mother decided to let   
you cook more often now?"  
Ranma frown as she pulled out a list from his shirt. "No,   
I'm not cooking tonight. She's busy... with some stuff, and wanted   
me to pick up some things for her."  
"That's nice of you, Ranma," Kasumi told him, noting his   
expression and slightly slumped posture, clear indicators that   
things were upsetting him again. She had to wonder if there was   
some reason while the world seemed to enjoy dumping so many   
problems on his broad shoulders. "But you don't see too happy   
about it."  
Ranma looked into Kasumi's concerned eyes, and then   
turned to face the ground, deciding that there wouldn't be any harm   
in getting this off his chest. Telling things like this to Kasumi   
always made him feel better about them anyway. "Well, the reason   
that she so busy is she's planning out my date tonight."  
"A date?" Kasumi asked in surprise, nearly dropping the   
small bag of groceries she held.  
Ranma nodded sadly. "With the daughter of her best   
friend. I don't want to go, especially after what my sister said   
about the girl, but it's hard for me to say no when my mother asks   
me for something."  
Kasumi was happy that Ranma was so devoted to his   
mother, and happier still that he seemed so reluctant to go on this   
date, but she was exactly thrilled with him going on a date in the   
first place, when it wasn't with her that is. She knew she had no   
right to say anything about it, however, for no matter how much   
Kasumi might desire stronger ties between them, all they were at   
the moment was friends.  
"I'm sure it won't be too bad, Ranma-kun," Kasumi told him   
while feeling a bit guilty over the fact that she hoped it would be   
worse. "The girl is probably being forced by her parents and is just   
as reluctant about this date as you are. While it's good to obey   
one's parents, they shouldn't really be interfering in their childrens'   
happiness when it's unwanted."  
"Huh?" Ranma said, blinking up at her. "Are you having   
the same problem with your father?"  
"Well, a similar problem," Kasumi admitted, thinking of   
how her father had talked to her about setting her up with a fiance   
that morning, then wondering what he would think about Ranma.  
"I can't think that anyone would be reluctant to go on a date   
with you, Kasumi," Ranma told her with a grin.  
Kasumi turned away from him, her cheeks suddenly feeling   
as if they were burning. "Thank you, Ranma. That was very... nice   
of you to say," she said hesitantly, then quickly changed the   
subject. "We've wasted enough time in idle chit-chat already,   
though. Let's continue our shopping and talk more on the way, all   
right?"  
Ranma smiled and replied, "Anything you say, Kasumi."  
  
Ranma was taking a shortcut through an alleyway on the   
way home, when his path was suddenly blocked by a man wearing   
a full set of ancient samurai armor, complete with mustached   
demon mask. The pig-tailed boy muttered a small prayer to   
whatever kami was listening that this had nothing to do with him   
before trying to move past the figure. Much to his disappointment,   
the person moved to block his path.  
"I am the Masked Samurai!" he announced in a tone that   
reminded the pig-tailed boy of Kuno, though it obviously wasn't   
the kendoist's voice. "You must defeat me in order to pass, though   
you may retreat like a coward if you're not up to the challenge!"  
Ranma carefully set the groceries down as he studied the   
Masked Samurai out of the corner of his eye. This guy didn't look   
that tough, and Ranma's pride wouldn't let him turn down a   
challenge no matter who gave it, though the clincher was the   
insinuation that he might be a coward. He dropped into a loose   
stance and told the figure, "Come on, let's get this over with."  
The Masked Samurai started to move towards him, but   
suddenly stopped. He seemed confused for a moment, but then   
bellowed, "Seeing that you are obviously my inferior, you should   
be the one to strike first!"  
Ranma shrugged; either way it didn't matter to him. "Okay,   
if that's the way you want it," he said and charged, leaping into the   
air for a quick kick to that ugly mask of his, surprised when he was   
the one who ended up flat on his butt, his opponent not having   
budged an inch.  
The Masked Samurai chortled as the pig-tailed boy stared   
up at him in confusion. "You expect such a weak kick to topple   
me?"  
Ranma frowned and attacked again with a leg sweep, only   
to clutch his ankle in pain, hopping around while the figure   
continued to laugh at him. The pig-tailed boy realized that the   
armor wasn't just for show; the mask wasn't too hard but the boots   
were definitely metal. His opinion of his opponent went up a few   
notches. If the suit was made of the same stuff as the boots, which   
it looked to be, then the total armor had to weigh a ton. The man   
had to be super strong just to move in that get-up.  
"Right," Ranma said to the figure, now in a more serious   
stance as he hopped on his good foot, arms out before him to   
prepare for the worst. "I think it's your turn to attack now."  
"If I must, though it hardly seems worth expending the   
effort to strike a weakling such as yourself," the Mask Samurai said   
reluctantly, and with a huff of effort, the figure was in motion,   
bringing its gaunleted fist back and then flying towards the pig-  
tailed boy's mid-section.  
Ranma almost laughed. He was sure that there was a lot of   
power behind the blow, but it would never hit him at that speed.   
He had plenty of time to plan his attack; using the fist as a spring   
board to launch himself in the air. A quick flip and his feet were   
aimed at the small of his opponent's back. The kick combined with   
the forward momentum of the Masked Samurai's punch sent the   
armored figure tumbling to the ground with a loud crash.  
Standing on the man's back, Ranma smirked down at him   
and thought, *Hmm, must be really strong to move around in that   
armor, and while it might be pretty good defensively, it ends up   
making him way too slow. Why does he even bother with it?   
Might be interesting to fight him without the armor, but I have to   
get back before the food goes bad. Besides, I don't think mom will   
think it very manly to be late for my -shudder- date.*  
The Masked Samurai struggled to stand as Ranma hefted   
the grocery bags. He idly considered giving the guy a hand, but   
decided he probably had too much pride to accept it. Besides, it   
was the guy's own fault for picking a fight like that.  
"You are a truly impressive martial artist," the Masked   
Samurai told him as he finally managed to get back on his feet   
again. His voice sounded honestly surprised, as if he had no prior   
idea of Ranma's skills. "Very well, you have my permission to date   
my daughter."   
As the man walked away, his armor clanking like an old   
heater, Ranma stared back at him in confusion, wondering if this   
had all been a case of mistaken identity.  
  
"Father, are you all right?" Kasumi asked in concern as she   
watched him rubbing his back with a frown on his face.  
Soun looked almost panicked to see his eldest daughter   
peering at him. "I was just... moving something heavy in the attic,"   
he explained quickly. "Must have strained a muscle. It should be   
fine in a minute, no need for worry."  
Kasumi nodded, though her eyes were still filled with   
concern. "You really should be more careful, father, you're not as   
young as used to be. Would you like me to get the furo ready for a   
nice, hot bath?"  
Soun nearly started to blubber about his daughter being so   
good to him when the pain strangely intensified for a moment,   
halting his emotional outburst. "Thank you, Kasumi. That would   
be very nice," he said instead, his voice only slightly strained.  
His oldest daughter nodded with a smile and went off to   
prepare the furo while Soun glanced up at the sky and thought with   
a smile, *I hope the two of you will be very happy together.*  
  
Aika was grinning as her car pulled into the Kuno estate,   
the seat next to her piled high with small packages from the most   
elegant boutiques in the area. After she and Nodoka had finished   
their planning session, Aika had gone out and purchased   
everything her daughter could possibly need for her date, to make   
Kodachi as beautiful as she could possibly be.  
The current head of the Kuno clan was always one to be   
prepared for every possible contingency, which is why she had   
armed herself thus to face her daughter, who she knew would put   
up a resistance to this date even though it was all in the girl's best   
interest. But there was something else she was also preparing for.   
Recently, she'd been entertaining doubts as to whether the   
engagement to the Hibiki boy would ever go through, especially   
when just finding him seemed to be a major endeavor. Ranma was   
the son of her best friend and held no engagements himself...  
"Where should I put these, Mistress Kuno?" Sasuke asked   
from behind the wall of packages he struggled to hold in his small   
arms.  
"Place them all in my daughter's room, Sasuke, and then I   
will have no further need of your services. The black package is   
for my son, as a thank you for letting me borrow you for a few   
hours. And the tan one is for yourself."  
"Thanks are not necessary, I live to serve the House Kuno!"   
Sasuke declared as he hurried along with his duty, just barely   
avoiding tripping over his own feet.  
"What a funny little man," Aika said to herself with an   
amused smile. Sasuke was a failed ninja whom her son had   
defended from his ex-clan some years ago, and had been his   
faithful retainer ever since. While as a servant he could use some   
improvement in several areas, especially his driving skills, his   
loyalty could not be questioned.  
Aika immediately went to her own bedroom, where she   
could take a few minutes rest and mental preparation for the   
upcoming conflict with Kodachi, whom she fully expected to resist   
her every suggestion. The room was vast and quite obviously   
meant for two, though it had been some time since it had served in   
that capacity. Her husband; there were so few reminders of him   
that she often forgot he existed. She wasn't sad or angry over his   
absence; quite the opposite. Aika had been glad to see him go and   
dreaded his eventual return.  
They had been happy once, they had once been in love.   
That was until they had finally gotten married and he had changed,   
changed so much that she hardly recognized him anymore,   
especially with his tan and the ridiculous outfit he constantly wore   
now. When they had first met, Yoichi had been a quiet, soft-  
spoken man who had doted on her every word. Now it would be a   
miracle if they could agree on anything.  
But that was a problem for another time. She had a   
stubborn daughter to deal with.  
Aika was expecting for Kodachi to be hiding away in her   
greenhouse, so nearly didn't register her daughter kneeling   
demurely in her sitting room, having just finished pouring two cups   
of steaming tea. The older woman blinked in surprise, but   
immediately hid her reaction. This had to be another tactic of her   
daughter's to get out of the date. Though wary, Aika was at the   
same time impressed by Kodachi's thinking. The Kuno   
conglomerate would be in good hands for a long time to come.  
"How nice of you, Dachi dear," Aika said as she sat and   
took the teacup her daughter handed her, wearing a genuine smile.   
Even if it was all just an act, it was nice to be getting along with   
Kodachi for once. She also knew she didn't have to worry about   
one of her daughter's little experiments in the tea. Not that she   
wouldn't try something like that on her own mother, but more   
because Aika had already built up an immunity to such things from   
similar experiments in her own youth.  
Kodachi smiled in return. "This is but a small token of   
thanks for all that you have done for me, Mother dear. It recently   
occurred to me that I have not been as appreciative as I should have   
been in the past."  
The truth or a ruse? Aika couldn't tell which it was, so   
decided to approach the subject of the date and gauge her   
daughter's reaction. "I bought a few nice things for your date   
tonight, Dachi, and I'm sure that with a little of my help we can   
have you looking your best. You'll be certain to win his heart in a   
single glance."  
Kodachi smiled over her teacup, taking a small sip before   
speaking. "But mother, what of my dear fiance?" she asked in an   
obviously sarcastic tone.  
Aika's control slipped just enough to reveal a small frown.   
So this was what this was all about. Kodachi was using this date as   
way of dumping her fiance. Even though Aika had been   
considering the same thing herself, she wouldn't let that happen.   
"It's only an innocent date, Dachi, but if you do happen to become   
close with Ranma, I might be able to arrange something more   
formal between the two of you."  
Kodachi surprised her mother by sighing in a hopeful sort   
of way and saying, "That might not be such a bad idea, Mother."  
Feeling in danger of revealing her true intentions, and most   
likely falling to the mercy of her daughter, Aika changed the   
subject. "Why don't we get started then? There are still some   
hours before the date, but we want you looking perfect, don't we?"  
Kodachi set her cup down and nodded, "Yes, I need to look   
my best for Ranma."  
  
Nodoka sat in the living room, impatiently glancing at the   
clock every five minutes, while wondering why it was taking her   
son so long to pick up a few groceries. The time for the date wasn't   
far off, and she had to both start on dinner and get the boy ready.   
The latter normally wasn't so important to her, her son's manliness   
usually made up for any fault in his appearance, but this wasn't a   
normal date, not to her.  
Aika and Kiba were both dear friends and she saw this date   
as the keystone to the future happiness of their children. For if her   
son could not convince Kodachi to like men, carefully laid plans   
over a decade old would be meaningless. They weren't about to   
force a girl to marry a boy when she would prefer another girl. But   
then again, there was Chirochu's daughter to consider...  
Nodoka was distracted from her thoughts by the sound of   
the door opening. With modest grace and dignity, she raced into   
the hallway, breathing a sigh of relief to see her son standing there,   
groceries in hand as he kicked off his shoes.  
She immediately claimed the bag and studied her son   
intently, noting the marks of dirt and grime that dotted his clothes   
and body. Some things would never change. Even as a child,   
Ranma could find dirt in a sterilized hospital room. "Into the furo   
with you, now, and I want you to scrub thoroughly so you can be   
ready for your date."  
"But mom, there's still plenty of time. I wanted to get in   
some practice first," Ranma replied with a frown.  
Nodoka's normally gentle visage grew stern, her hands   
itching for the family sword, which thankfully for Ranma's peace   
of mind, was still hanging in the living room. "I want you dressed   
and ready soon so we can walk over to their house. Now go!"  
Ranma meekly hung his head and slowly made his way   
towards the furo, not daring to look back, and not needing to either,   
since he could feel his mother's eyes on him.  
Nodoka released a small sigh once her son was gone from   
sight, her features softening immediately. Ramna might be the   
paragon of manliness, but he was hardly perfect. Just like his   
father, he could get stubborn over the silliest things. He should   
know that with his loving mother planning this date, he would have   
a wonderful time.  
Carefully listening to the sounds coming from the furo,   
Nodoka got everything ready for dinner. Thankfully, most of the   
preparation could be done ahead of time and stored away in their   
fridge, waiting for the final touches to be applied. They could have   
eaten out. With Aika picking up the tab for the entire date, their   
was enough in the household budget to cover it, but Nodoka knew   
that she would be far too tempted to see how Ranma was doing,   
and even her manly son would feel uncomfortable entertaining a   
lady with his mother looking over his shoulder.  
Nodoka counted to ten once she heard her son's door close   
before racing into his room. Ranma was standing there in only his   
boxers, a manly physique that any woman would die for, built up   
over a lifetime of martial arts practice. He was looking down at the   
white tuxedo that Nodoka had selected -- and Aika had paid for --   
before spinning around to face her, dropping into a defense stance   
she knew well from watching him practice. Seeing it was her, he   
relaxed immediately.  
"Mom, why do you have to barge in on me like that?" A   
small blush of embarrassment dotted his cheeks, revealing his   
vulnerable side.  
With a tear in her eye and a cry of, "Oh, my manly son!"   
Nodoka latched on to Ranma with a smothering hug, of which he   
managed to free himself after a few moments.  
"I still have got to get changed, Mom," Ranma pointed out,   
even more embarrassed before.  
Nodoka wiped away a tear and sat on the edge of her son's   
bed. "I'm sorry, Ranma, but you're just the most perfect son any   
mother could hope for."  
Ranma felt the last remaining shred of his resistance to this   
date suddenly blown away by the force of his mother's words. He   
would have gladly committed seppoku rather than disappoint her at   
that moment. With only a small sigh, he picked up the white tux   
and began to get dressed.  
Almost immediately, Nodoka was at his side again, helping   
him get dressed as if he were still a child, tugging and pulling,   
smoothing out wrinkles too small to see with anything but a   
mother's eyes, all the while humming contentedly. Ranma didn't   
make a single note of complaint, he only endured, knowing that it   
couldn't last long.  
Ranma now sat still as a statue before a mirror while his   
mother made last minute adjustments to his appearance, dabbing   
an expensive -- and to Ranma vaguely annoying -- cologne on his   
neck and behind his ears. She ended this by carefully combing his   
hair.  
"About your pig-tail, Ranma..." she said as she glanced up   
into his reflection.  
"No, absolutely not," he told her firmly, crossing his arms   
as a frown started to form on his face. For the most part he cared   
little about his appearance or wardrobe, but the pig-tail wasn't open   
for debate.  
"Ranma," Nodoka said with a suddenly stern tone.  
"What?" he nearly snapped back at her.  
"Don't cross your arms like that, you're wrinkling your   
sleeves."  
"Oh, sorry, sorry," Ranma apologized, embarrassed by his   
earlier anger, as he uncrossed his arms, allowing them to hang   
loosely by his sides.  
"I was going to say, I think you should start to grow it out a   
bit longer. Women like men to have nice, long hair so they can run   
their fingers through it. Your father used to have such long hair.   
When we were still dating he'd..."  
Nodoka developed a sudden blush and stuttered out, "Well,   
perhaps I'll tell you about that later. We have to get going now   
anyway."  
"Hai," Ranma replied, feeling his fate sealed.  
  
Ranma covertly glanced at his mother, at the same time   
being careful not to poke himself with the thorns of the bouquet of   
roses he held. He thought that black roses might be insulting, but   
his mother had been insistent on them. Either way, those thorns   
drew a pinprick of blood immediately. It was almost as if they   
were out to get him. Luckily, he had avoided bleeding all over the   
white tux so far.  
His mother walked before him, holding the wrapped family   
sword in her hands. He had no idea why she had brought that   
along, and feared that it might get used if his date didn't go well.   
Though his mother had never so much as threatened to use that   
blade on him, Ranma had been terrified of it ever since he'd been a   
child for reasons he couldn't easily explain, but thought it best to   
keep being as manly as his mom wanted him to as if his life   
depended on it.  
Looking around at the scenery to distract himself from such   
morbid thoughts, Ranma realized that they had to be in a pretty   
ritzy district considering the sheer size of the houses and the lawns   
that went with them. He knew that Nodoka's friend was wealthy,   
but not to such a degree. It intimidated him just a bit.  
Turning to look back as his mother again, Ranma nearly   
jumped in surprise to see Kuno standing out on the sidewalk before   
the entrance to the fanciest -- and largest -- house on the block. He   
was clearly waiting for someone, and when their eyes met, Ranma   
realized that that someone was him.  
With the way he had been acting lately, Ranma really had   
no idea what to expect from the kendoist, but whatever it was, now   
was the absolute worst time for it. Ranma raced past his mother   
and grabbed Kuno by the arm with the plan of explaining to him   
that no matter what he had in mind, now was a very bad time.  
"Oh, is he a friend of yours, Ranma?" Nodoka asked.  
Ranma looked back at her nervously. "Yeah... I guess you   
could say that, and I need to talk for him for just one second. Don't   
worry, I won't be long at all!" he explained as he proceeded to drag   
the kendoist away.  
"Truly, we are the most bosom of chums! Like brothers,   
my dear madam," Kuno declared as with a smile he wrapped a   
friendly arm around a now utterly bewildered Ranma.  
"Oh, that's so nice," Nodoka told him with a smile. "It   
makes things much easier."  
Ranma ignored his mother's words and dragged Kuno out   
of earshot, whispering to him. "Whatever you have in mind, it'll   
have to wait until tomorrow. I'm... very busy tonight, got martial   
artist-type stuff to do, being noble and all that."  
Kuno replied in his normal tone of voice, which for most   
people was just under shouting. "Ah, this I know all too well, and I   
would not dream of delaying your evening a moment longer. I   
only wished to say that though she be wicked, spiteful, and cruel;   
Ranma, please take care of my little sister."  
"Sister?" Ranma repeated once enough of his shock had   
worn away so he could speak again. "You mean that I'm going on   
a date tonight with your sister?"  
"Yes, and it gladdened my heart beyond all joy to hear   
about your nocturnal rendezvous, for though she is perhaps beyond   
all hope of redemption, I still do love and cherish my younger   
sister, wishing that she will one day find a man who will sacrifice   
his life to be her husband. And I also must now admit that I held a   
small kernel of fear that you truly sought the noble Akane Tendo   
who was destined for I and I alone, or that you might have fallen   
for my own manly visage which is so grand that even the stoutest   
of men..."  
"I've got to go, Kuno," Ranma said quickly as he rushed   
back to his mother, having already far exceeded his Kuno tolerance   
for the day. "Can't keep your sister waiting."  
"May the gods protect you in the company of my sister!"   
Kuno shouted back, waving at his retreating form.  
*You could have just wished me good luck,* Ranma   
thought with a frown as he followed Nodoka past the gates and up   
to the Kuno household. It was only the sight of the thankfully still   
wrapped katana that kept him from turning back.  
  
Aika sat in a small sitting room near the main door,   
impatiently tapping her foot as she stared up at the clock. Even   
though it was a half hour before the agreed upon time, she had   
expected Nodoka five minutes ago. Both of them could be   
extremely patient for something that was days or even years away,   
but only a few hours could seem like an eternity.  
When the doorbell rang, she nearly raced down the hallway,   
stopping herself only just. It would hardly be proper and dignified   
for her to be running about, and wouldn't set the proper tone for a   
potential son-in-law. She had met Ranma several times before, but   
never under such a formal occasion, and never before had she   
worried about making the right impression. Aika would do   
everything she could to secure this deal.  
She listened idly as Sasuke answered the door and greeted   
their guests formally, thankfully not bungling it. Aika had planned   
to just answer the door herself like she always did, but Sasuke had   
insisted on helping because of the little gift that she had gotten   
him. It had only been a Palm Pilot; she didn't see it as that big a   
deal.  
Sasuke entered the room, Nodoka and Ranma following   
close behind. Her old friend was dressed in an elegant kimono --   
which had been Aika's gift on her birthday last year -- while her   
son wore the white tuxedo that they had both decided on. In his   
hands he was very carefully holding a bouquet of black roses   
which Aika had gone through some trouble to obtain, but worth the   
effort for the effect it should have on her daughter.  
"Your guests, madam," the diminutive ninja told her   
formally with a small bow.  
"Thank you, Sasuke," she replied with a small nod. "You   
may go."  
Sasuke nodded and vanished in a small puff of smoke,   
leaving Ranma a bit surprised but Nodoka completely unfazed.  
"Nodoka, my dear friend." Aika smiled broadly as she rose   
out of her seat and walked over to her old friend, wrapping her in a   
friendly hug as if she hadn't seen her in years instead of just a few   
hours ago. Nodoka was a bit puzzled by this, but accepted this   
show of affection with a calm grace.  
Breaking off the hug, Aika then studied Ranma closely,   
who seemed to wilt a bit under her close scrutiny. "And Ranma,   
you look so very handsome tonight. That tuxedo really suits you.   
I'll have to warn my Dachi to keep a close eye on you to make sure   
no other woman steals you away from her tonight."  
Ranma, trying to shake off the awful feeling of foreboding   
he suddenly felt, said nothing.  
"Oh, that reminds me, my daughter should be ready now.   
She was so looking forward to this that she's been doing her best to   
make herself absolutely perfect for it," Aika confessed with a small   
smile, before raising her voice to say, "Oh, Dachi dear, can you   
come in here now?"  
  
Hearing her que, Kodachi bowed her head and entered the   
room, being careful to walk slowly as a truly demure maiden   
would, her elegant black kimono -- which vaguely resembled one   
for a wedding -- trailing behind her. Her black hair flowed down   
her shoulders, no longer bound by it's usual ribbon, to blend in   
with the kimono, shining like moonbeams under the soft lights.   
Her skin was pale as a china doll from makeup applied so skillfully   
that it seemed natural, which only served to highlight her deeply   
red lips, full and only slightly pouty.  
Kodachi ignored the two mothers, instead walking directly   
over to Ranma. Though she could only just see him in her   
downward glance, she could tell how he was becoming   
progressively more nervous with each step she took, while she was   
finding it progressively harder not to grin.  
Ranma gulped as the girl stopped directly in front of him,   
still not making a single sound. Then she finally glanced up at   
him, her soft lavender eyes staring directly into his own eyes, those   
red lips parting to say in a voice that was both soft and lyrical,   
"Ranma-sama."  
"Um, yeah, that's me," Ranma replied nervously, scratching   
the back of his head in embarrassment. He had a hard enough time   
dealing with girls at it was, but he had absolutely no idea what to   
do with a girl that was so... demure. "And you're Kodachi, right?"  
Kodachi let out a low and sensual chuckle. "Yes, I am   
Kodachi Kuno, who humbly desires to be your date for this   
evening."  
After hearing about Kodachi from his sister and then from   
Kuno, Ranma wasn't exactly prepared for a girl that was so   
submissive. He glanced all around for something to break up the   
mood a bit, something to keep those eyes from staring so deeply at   
him, as if he were the only thing in the world to her.  
"Ah, these are for you!" Ranma announced suddenly, nearly   
shoving the bouquet of black roses into the girl's hands.  
Kodachi accepted them with a small nod, peering down at   
them nestled in her embrace as she allowed a smile to blossom on   
her face. "Black roses? How wonderful. No gift have I ever   
received that is greater than this. I feel deeply honored by your   
thoughtfulness."  
"Actually, it was--" Ranma started to say, only to be   
interrupted by his mother whapping him lightly on the head with   
her still-wrapped katana.  
"I think it's time for the both of you to get going," Aika   
declared. "You don't want to be late for your dinner reservations.   
Kodachi has the plan for the entire date, so you don't need to worry   
about a thing, Ranma."  
The pig-tailed boy struggled to come up with some sort of   
reply to that, but then Kodachi said to him as she offered him her   
arm, "Shall we go, Ranma-sama?"  
Ranma automatically took her arm, and feeling dazed by   
her touch and the light scent of her perfume, managed to mutter,   
"Yeah, let's go." And at the same time thinking, *This might not   
be so bad after all.*  



	9. Default Chapter Title

Will You be my Fiance?  
(A Ramna 1/2 Alt History)  
By Ammadeau  
Roy.Fokker@UNSpacy.org  
http://www.thekeep.org/~amm/  
  
Much thanks to David Smith and Richard Beaubien for their C&C   
on this chapter.  
  
***  
  
Kyoko was grinning as she sat in sight of the entrance to the   
Kuno mansion, checking over her camera for about the sixth time.   
At first, her boss' request to follow Ranma around for the night had   
filled her with a sickening sort of melancholy that she'd couldn't   
quite understand. She wished that Nabiki had forgotten all about   
Ranma by now, but she seemed more attached to him than ever,   
perhaps even closer to him than Nabiki was to her.  
It was only after she had reluctantly agreed to this duty and   
hung up the phone had she realized what an opportunity this   
represented. All she needed to do was compile a photographic   
record of how the pig-tailed boy was just like any other boy and her   
boss would dump him in less time than it takes for Kuno to act like a   
idiot.  
Kyoko was dressed all in dark shades, to make more   
difficult to be seen, but at the same time not unusual to the average   
passerby. The camera she held was actually borrowed from her   
aunt, who was a photographer for a tabloid and was able to take   
good pictures with very little light. She was pretty sure that her aunt   
hadn't bought Kyoko's story about wanting to capture nature at night,   
but had lent her the camera anyway. Her aunt had even given her a   
few tips on pursuing 'nature' at night.  
Giving the camera one final check, Kyoko grinned as she   
saw her target step out of the Kuno mansion in the arms of a woman.   
The first photo of the night taken, she made to follow.  
  
Chapter 8: A Black Rose with Eight Thorns  
  
The night seemed overly warm to Ranma. He wanted to   
blame it on the tux he was wearing, but he felt certain it was all due   
to the elegant girl who now gently yet firmly held onto his arm. She   
had been guiding him the direction of what he hoped to be the   
restaurant they were going to, not having said a word since they had   
left her house. Neither had Ranma, for the simple reason he had no   
idea what to say.  
Nor could he relax his guard even as the minutes passed   
without anything happening. With Kuno's words from earlier still   
running through his head, he kept waiting for the moment when   
Kodachi would change into the demon her brother had said her to   
be. Normally, he would have already disregarded the kendoist's   
words, but it was all too similar to a time with another girl only a   
few years ago.  
  
It had been a class trip to a real farm, and Ranma had run   
ahead to the stables to see the horses there, animals which he had   
always felt a deep connection to, mostly due to his name. His   
school wasn't the only one having their field trip there that day,   
however. An exclusive private school were just finishing up their   
little excursion.  
The horses greeted Ranma like a long lost friend, at least   
that's how it seemed to him. When he nervously reached out to   
stroke their flanks, they didn't pull away, but accepted his touch with   
curious looks in their large eyes.  
"What are you doing here?" said a soft female voice behind   
him.  
Ranma slowly turned to see a carefully-groomed white horse   
enter the stables at a walk. For just a moment, the pig-tailed boy   
thought that this horse had spoken to him. Then he looked up to see   
a girl about his own age dressed in a riding outfit, her golden curls   
spilling out from beneath her cap. She rode in a lady-like fashion,   
holding the reigns in a way that seemed to show she knew what she   
was doing. Her pose was refined, almost regal, as she looked down   
at him with an inquisitive look in her soft blue eyes.  
"Um, my class is on a field trip," Ranma explained, feeling   
like he had just been caught trespassing. "I wanted to see the   
horses."  
The girl nodded and told him, "My school has--"  
Just then the horse stumbled over a broom which Ranma had   
unknowingly knocked over earlier, causing the animal to throw its   
rider. Acting solely on instinct, the pig-tailed boy managed to catch   
her in his arms so she wouldn't be hurt or her clothes dirtied, though   
his own shirt and pants would need a good washing afterwards.  
"You... saved me," the girl said to him, blinking in surprise   
as she sat in his lap.  
Ranma had no idea what to say. He hadn't done it   
intentionally, it had been more of a reflex than anything else.   
Besides, he doubted she would have gotten seriously hurt.  
"Miss Saginomiya!" cried out an elderly man's voice in   
alarm as he rushed into the stables. He had greying hair and well-  
made tuxedo, but didn't have the same air of elegance about him that   
the girl did.  
"I am fine, Geoffory," she told the man with a small smile as   
she stood and brushed out the wrinkles in her pants. "This boy   
saved me."  
Geoffory blinked at Ranma, but then bowed to him so low   
that his head nearly brushed the ground. "I thank you, sir. I don't   
know what I would have done had Miss Saginomiya become injured   
due to my own inattention."  
Still nervous, Ranma returned the bow -- though not quite so   
low -- and said, "You don't need to thank me for that. It's the duty of   
every martial artist to help ladies in distress." Or at least that was   
what his mom always told him.  
"That's why I've decided to make him my new boyfriend,"   
the girl declared, daintily draping her arm around Ranma's   
shoulders.  
Ranma blinked and opened his mouth to protest, but   
Geoffory beat him to it. "You can't be serious, miss! He might have   
saved you from injury, but he's obviously--"  
"Hush, Geoffory," she told him with a smile, though there   
was an iron underneath the soft velvet of her voice that Ranma   
totally missed but the man didn't. "Have you no sense of romance?   
This is love at first sight, a love so pure that it can overcome any   
barrier set by class or social standing. Now go and bring the car   
around. I shall depart in a few minutes."  
Those with obvious reluctance, mostly directed at Ranma,   
Geoffory nodded and told her, "Yes, Miss Saginomiya."  
After he had left, the girl turned to face Ranma, looking him   
up and down as she walked around him, a small smile playing at the   
corners of her lips. "Yes, you will do nicely. Kind sir, what is your   
name?"  
The pig-tailed boy blinked and managed to stutter out, "It's   
Ranma, Ranma Soatome."  
"Ranma? How... appropriate. I shall hold that name in my   
heart forever, a momento of the moment when I first discovered true   
love."  
"And your name?" Ranma asked after a few moments of   
silence had passed, her blue eyes staring back at him making him   
feel more and more nervous.  
Her laughter was like the tinkling of tiny silver bells. "I am   
Asuka of the White Lily."  
  
"Ranma-sama?" Kodachi asked, practically whispering into   
his ear.  
Ranma blinked and shook his head to clear it of the memory.   
He shouldn't be so distrustful of Kodachi just because she reminded   
him of a past disaster. From what he could tell, there was little   
similarity between her and Asuka. Besides, his date with Nabiki   
had gone well -- more or less -- perhaps his luck was changing.   
That last thought pained him a bit for reasons he couldn't understand,   
almost as if he was doing something wrong. He filed that away for   
later consideration. There wasn't time for it now.  
"Yes, Kodachi... san?" he replied, still feeling nervous to be   
so close to this elegant girl.  
Kodachi smiled in a demure fashion and gestured with her   
free hand to the edifice before which they had stopped. "We have   
arrived."  
Ranma followed the path of gesture, only to realize with   
horror that the restaurant they had stopped before was the Jade   
Blossom. "Oh, no," he whispered.  
"Is there something wrong, Ranma-sama? Your mother   
mentioned you had enjoyed dining here before and thought it was an   
appropriate place to start our date. Did she err?"  
Ranma frowned, mentally kicking himself for not asking   
about the plans for the date beforehand. His mom would do   
something like this to him. But what could he do about it now? If it   
was someone else, he might have been able to take her to a place   
that didn't require reservations, but this was the daughter of his   
mother's best friend, and obviously a girl who was used to the best.   
He didn't want to disappoint his mother, even if this was her fault.   
Besides, Min-Lin might not even be working tonight. He could be   
worried over nothing.  
"No, nothing's wrong," Ranma explained quickly as Kodachi   
continued to stare up at him curiously. "I just... just thought I had   
forgotten my wallet, but then I realized your mom is paying for   
everything."  
"Yes, your company is all I require tonight, Ranma-sama,"   
she told him at a near whisper as she leaned her head onto his   
shoulder. "Shall we go inside?"  
"Yeah," Ranma managed to say as he mechanically put one   
foot in front of the other.  
  
Kyoko snapped off a few more shots, making sure to get the   
most incriminating angle on the pair as they silently walked down   
the street, already so comfortable in each other's presence that they   
didn't need to say a word.  
Then she saw the restaurant that they had stopped before and   
had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing out loud. Instead, she   
went around the back to slip inside.  
  
Ranma and Kodachi were met at the door by the same   
elderly gentleman who had greeted the pig-tailed boy on his date   
with Nabiki. The man smiled at the both of them, but threw Ranma a   
slightly puzzled look, to which he bowed his head, feeling   
embarrassed.  
"Welcome to the Jade Blossom. May I help you?"  
"Yes, reservations for two," Kodachi spoke up before   
Ranma had the chance to. "Listed under the name Kuno."  
"Kuno?" the man repeated in surprise, not even glancing   
down at his list. "Please come right this way, we've been expecting   
you."  
Ranma listened to the man's words with a growing feeling of   
dread, wondering just what his and Kodachi's mother had arranged   
there.  
The old man lead them through the dimly lit restaurant, all   
the while Ranma glancing around for a glimpse of golden hair, but   
thankfully finding none. He guided them through the restaurant to the   
back and up a spiral staircase to a hallway lined with rooms of   
bamboo, looking like something that belonged in a more traditional   
Japanese restaurant.  
"These are our private rooms," the man explained with a   
smile. "For couples who do not wished to be disturbed by others   
while enjoying their meal."  
"What a marvelous idea," Kodachi enthused as she snuggled   
closer to the pig-tailed boy. "Our parents are so thoughtful."  
"Yeah, it's nice," Ranma replied nervously, though more   
over Kodachi's touch and delicate scent than anything else. A   
private room greatly reduced the chances of someone coming in and   
messing things up. For once, his mom had the right idea.  
The elderly man slid open one of the doors and lead them   
inside. The room was only six tatami mats in size, but it was enough   
for a low table and cushions for resting upon. Light incense burned   
in a decanter by the far wall, a wall of glass that revealed the moon,   
full and bright, outside. Combined with the dim lighting cast by fat   
candles placed all about the room, it created a very intimate feel that   
made Ranma very nervous.  
As he finished taking in the room, Ranma blinked to look   
down to find Kodachi wordlessly staring up at him, her lips slightly   
parted and her eyes glittering with reflected candlelight. Her   
perfume mixed with the incense to create a scent that made Ranma   
feel light-headed. "Yes?" he asked to the question in her lavender   
eyes, resisting the odd temptation to lean forward, draw closer to   
those darkly red lips.  
"Shall we sit now, Ranma-sama?" she asked, sounding   
faintly puzzled.  
Ranma laughed nervously, backing away from her quickly as   
he scrambled for his seat, careful not to knock over any of the   
candles.  
Kodachi slowly took the seat opposite, her eyes sad and   
downcast. "Have... have I done something to offend you, Ranma-  
sama?" she asked, not looking up at him, her voice overflowing with   
worry.  
"Erk!" Ranma realized that Kodachi had taken his   
nervousness at breaking away from her quickly to be a rejection.   
"No! It's just...," he struggled to explain, having absolutely no idea   
what to say.  
"I know that you could easily be dating women much more   
beautiful than I," she told him, still not looking up. "But do you truly   
find me so hideous that you have to escape my touch so quickly?"  
*Baka, baka, baka!* Ranma shouted to himself. It was   
obvious from the beginning that Kodachi was a very sensitive girl,   
but his own silly nervousness had made him careless and hurt her.   
One of Nodoka's lessons that Ranma had always agreed with one   
hundred percent was that he should never hurt a girl, physically or   
emotionally.  
Ranma bowed his head down to touch the table, telling her.   
"I am sorry, Kodachi-san. I don't think you're hideous. Actually, I   
think you're... very pretty."  
"Oh, Ranma-sama!" Kodachi declared as he looked up,   
blushing as she smiled back at him.  
The old man coughed, reminding them both that he was still   
in the room. Now having their attention, he served them each a cup   
of tea along with a menu.  
"Please take your time in choosing," he told them with a   
bow. "Just simply pull that bell chord when you are ready to   
order."  
"Thank you, kind sir," Kodachi told him, while her eyes   
gestured to the door.  
"Yeah, thanks," Ranma echoed, trying to hide his current   
embarrassment by burying his face in the menu.  
The old man nodded to Kodachi and told the both of them,   
"Enjoy your meal," before he finally left, closing the door behind   
him.  
  
Doing her best to act like a waitress just coming in for her   
shift, Kyoko found out that her targets had a private room reserved   
for their use, and luckily a room next to theirs wasn't going to be   
used until much later that night.  
Eager not to miss a moment of Ranma's infidelity, Kyoko had   
to restrain herself from bounding up the stairs, instead stealthily   
entering the room next door, careful not to be noticed. The walls   
were relatively thin so a little peep hole was easily made, giving   
her a clear view of Ranma and the back of Kodachi.  
Checking the camera once again, Kyoko waited for her next   
photo opertunity.  
  
When Kodachi has still been in middle school, she had been   
petitioned to join the drama club, who thought that her flair for the   
dramatic and reputation would boost up their own failing rep. After   
a great show of reluctance, she had eventually consented to their   
demand after they had publicly presented her with a rare shrubbery   
to add to her garden.  
Kodachi's only condition was that she would hold the main   
role or she would not perform at all. Unfortunately, the role of the   
female protagonist in the play they had chosen to do was ill-suited   
for Kodachi. They tried to talk her into the male lead, which was   
much closer to her personality, but she wouldn't hear of it. It was   
more than just the lovely Black Rose could never play a convincing   
man, but it was also the insinuation that there was something   
feminine that she wouldn't be able to do.  
The role was that of a samurai's wife who patiently waits for   
his return after he goes off to war. She waits and waits to hear any   
news, and though nothing is heard for years, she continues to   
patiently await the return of her husband. Finally, after a decade has   
passed, she receives word that her husband has taken a new wife in   
a foreign land. The woman then commits suicide, firmly believing it   
was her fault for not being able to keep her husband's love.  
Kodachi thought it was rubbish, and for once her mother   
agreed with her, though of course her backward brother saw no   
problem with it. She nearly refused to play the role and quit the   
drama club altogether, but that would have been admitting defeat,   
and that was something no Kuno would do without a fight.  
So instead Kodachi burned with the determination to play   
the role better than anyone had ever played it before. Memorizing   
the distasteful lines was the easy part, speaking them with the proper   
feeling and intonation was nearly impossible. Instead of conceding   
defeat, Kodachi scoured all media for similar roles to study   
carefully, to find a way of becoming the dutiful housewife.  
The revelation was so simple that she was surprised she   
hadn't hit on it immediately. The goal was all important; the proper   
means of obtaining it, no matter how distasteful, were just the means   
to the end. Why should she care if other people saw her as demure,   
as long as she reached her objective? Such self-consciousness was   
beneath her.  
Kodachi could clearly remember opening night. She hadn't   
attended rehearsal for some time, practicing her role alone and free   
of distractions. Shoving her understudy aside, she strode onto the   
stage as her que was called. Her stride had immediately changed to   
a demure pace as she felt the heat from the spotlights, her head   
bowed as she approached her 'husband', a girl dressed as a samurai   
who nervously explained about the war.  
Applause had deafened her as she took her bow, the crowd   
cheering and calling her name. The president of the drama club   
handed her a bouquet of red roses, gushing out praise like a broken   
faucet. Kodachi had smiled at the older girl and said, "I quit." It   
was glorious.  
  
"Something funny, Kodachi-san?" Ranma asked her   
cautiously, peering over the menu.  
The Black Rose blinked to realize she had been   
daydreaming and laughing to herself. "Just a memory, Ranma-sama,   
nothing more," she told him with a smile.  
"Have you decided yet? I think I know what I'm having," he   
told her, clearly trying to make conversation.  
Feeling her mental mask starting to slip, Kodachi did her   
best to firmly put it back in place. Things were going so well so far,   
now wasn't the time to ruin it. Hitomi's brother certainly was cute,   
in more ways than one. His appearance was all that she could hope   
for, especially considering that her dreary life at an all-girl's school   
had made men nearly inaccessible. The way he was so careful not   
to offend her was also charming in a way. Clumsy, but she liked the   
sense of vulnerability it gave him. It left her in control. Her only   
disappointment was how trouble-free the evening had been so far,   
but then again the night was young.  
"Yes, I have decided as well. Forgive me for not telling you   
sooner."  
"No, no, that's okay," Ranma replied with a nervous smile,   
glancing around the room. "So I guess I just pull this rope here..."  
"I would surmise as much," Kodachi said with barely   
surpressed laughter in her voice. It was so much fun to keep the pig-  
tailed boy off guard with only a glance or a few words. She usually   
didn't have much reason to be subtle, finding that it wasn't nearly as   
effective as other methods, but in this case it seemed well worth the   
effort.  
Ranma tugged on the long chord hanging near the wall,   
wincing as if he expected something horrible to happen as a result,   
but they only heard the sound of faint chimes, echoing to nothing.  
  
Snap, snap went the camera as Kyoko studied Ranma's face   
for the minute changes in expression, the signs of enamor for the girl   
who now sat opposite from him. She felt mildy ill looking at him so   
much, but it would be well worth freeing her sempai from his   
clutches.  
The only thing which would have made it better was some   
sort of listening device so she could hear and record what they were   
saying. Sometimes they spoke clearly, but usually it was in tones   
too low to be comprehensible. Kyoko was sure that it would be   
twice as incriminating if she could record Ranma's words.  
  
"Ranma-sama, you are a friend of my bother, are you not?"   
Kodachi asked him in a tone chosen to get his attention.  
Ranma blinked at the sudden question, answering slowly, "I   
guess so..."  
Kodachi hid her smile in her hand to hear the pig-tailed   
boy's reluctance. It was no surprise that her delusion brother had   
misunderstood Ranma. She only hoped that he had misunderstood   
his connection to that... dreadful tomboy as well.  
"Well, my brother has recently become enamored with a girl   
at school. Normally, I wouldn't think of meddling in my brother's   
affairs, but in hearing about all the gifts he plies this girl with, I've   
become worried that she is taking unfair advantage of my brother's   
naiveté. Tell me, what do you know about this Akane Tendo   
person?"  
"Akane isn't like that," Ranma responded immediately, not   
noticing Kodachi's slight frown. "She might seem like kind of a   
bully to most people, but the fights are never her fault. She's   
actually a very nice person. It's your brother that doesn't listen to   
her and keeps giving her stuff even though she keeps telling him not   
to."  
"I see," Kodachi replied in an icy tone. "You seem to know   
Akane Tendo quite well yourself."  
"Not really," Ranma told her as if he hadn't noticed her tone.   
"I just met her a few days ago. It's just... a lot of times people   
observe me from a distance and think I'm a troublemaker even   
though the things that happen aren't always my fault. I don't like   
anyone else getting misunderstood in the same way. Besides, she's   
helped me out a few times so I owe her."  
"That is something I can well understand," Kodachi told him   
with a slight smile. It was no surprise that her brother had misread   
their relationship; Ranma merely felt indebted to the tomboy, not   
enamored with her. "I have a similar difficulty with my own   
reputation. No doubt you heard some of the terrible things that   
people say about me from your sister or my own dear brother."  
Kodachi watched Ranma squirm uncomfortably in his seat   
for a few moments before he finally admitted, "Well, they did say   
some stuff about you... but nothing really bad."  
The Black Rose brought a napkin to her eyes to wipe away   
unshed tears, and at the same time a bit worried that she might be   
laying it on too thick. Ranma didn't strike her as stupid, but he did   
seem naive when it came to women. She also made a mental note to   
find out later just what exactly Hitomi and Tatewaki had said about   
her though.  
"The girls from rival schools are so jealous of my skills at   
rhythmic gymnastics -- not to mention my beauty and elegance -- that   
they spread these foul lies about me, saying that I'm a vicious,   
wicked girl who cheats to win her matches."  
Kodachi sniffed as if on the edge of bawling while peering   
at Ranma out of the corner of her eye to gauge his reaction. Then   
she had to stifle a smile to see an expression of mute horror break   
over his face. She felt a small pang of guilt in manipulating him like   
this when he obviously showed her real concern, but stifled it. She   
had no idea when she'd be able to have another boy pay this much   
attention to her, if at all.  
Ranma moved to sit closer to her, though still keeping out of   
her personal space. "Kodachi-san, you're... you're a very nice   
person. People shouldn't listen to what others say about you. It's   
obvious that you're very sweet and kind."  
"Really?" Kodachi asked with a catch to her voice. This   
time not feigned at all, no one had ever called her 'nice' or 'kind'   
before. She was often praised for what she had done, by her mother   
or fellow students, but never for just being herself. Even if she   
wasn't technically being herself at the moment, it was still nice to   
hear.  
Staring back into those lavender eyes again, eyes that almost   
seemed to draw him in, Ranma simply nodded.  
"Oh, Ranma-sama!" Kodachi exclaimed, reaching out to   
embrace him, resting her head on his chest as her arms encircled his   
waist. "You are too kind. I am undeserving of such praise."  
Ranma went from unable to speak to unable to think. That   
was when the door opened.  
  
Kyoko bit her tongue again, though a few giggles managed to   
seep out as she quickly snapped off photos of Ranma and his date's   
loving embrace. She had half-considered doing something herself to   
make Ranma look bad, perhaps doctoring the photos a bit, but it   
looked like the truth would provide all the ammunition she needed   
to shoot down the relationship between her boss and the pig-tailed   
boy.  
  
"Ahem. Perhaps I should give you are few more minutes...   
to decide on your meal," the waiter said tactfully as he moved to   
shut the door again. He had the air of someone who had walked in   
on such a scene several times before.  
"No, wait! It wasn't what it looked like!" Ranma protested   
immediately, jumping back into his seat, though at the same time   
careful to gently break out of the girl's embrace, not wanting to risk   
offending her again. He did wonder why people always seemed to   
interrupt him at exactly the wrong time though.  
"Oh, I'm so embarrassed!" Kodachi squealed, hiding her   
face in her hands.  
"There's no need to be, miss," the waiter said with a small   
nod in her direction. "I didn't see any of what you might have been   
doing."  
Ranma tried to explain that they weren't doing anything, but   
his date spoke before he had the chance to.  
"That's so kind of you. I wouldn't want our parents to know...   
We're only on our first date!" Kodachi confessed with a light blush.  
Ranma tried to figure out what in the world she could be   
talking about, but came up blank. Though she was so shy and timid   
that she might think an innocent embrace as something bold and   
daring for her.  
It wasn't longer before the waiter had taken their orders and   
left with a small bow, though to Ranma he seemed to be hurrying   
along to leave them alone as soon as possible. Something that the   
pig-tailed boy wasn't feeling at all comfortable with.  
Ranma was no stranger to hormones, in fact he feared what   
would be thought of him if he let them loose, the terrible things that   
they might make him do to some poor, unsuspecting woman.   
Thankfully, all the women that his mom usually set him up with put   
enough fear into him to silence the voices of those hormones --   
though the provided a whole host of other problems -- but Kodachi   
was doing just the opposite, and he was becoming increasingly   
worried that his control might slip.  
"Your fian..." Ranma blinked to find that during his   
introspective moment, the girl had vanished from her seat.  
"Yes, Ranma-sama?" Kodachi asked, turning back to face   
him from her new place standing beside the window, looking out at   
the full moon has it hung in the night sky.  
Ranma walked over to her, careful to keep her outside easy   
touching distance. "I was just saying that your fiance is one lucky   
guy," he told her with a smile, drawing strength from that just-  
remembered fact. *Nope, can't touch her unless I really want to find   
out how sharp mom keeps the family sword. She's promised to   
someone else.* For Ranma, fear had always been a great motivator.  
"Do you really think so?" Kodachi asked in a sad tone that   
took him by surprise.  
"Why sure...," Ranma started to say, pausing to think of some   
positive things to break up the sudden somber mood. "You're nice,   
elegant, sweet, and pretty. Any guy would be crazy not to want you   
as his fiance."  
Kodachi stared up at the moon, her voice so soft that it was   
almost a whisper. "But I don't know anything about him. I've lived   
my whole life with the knowledge that I was already promised to   
someone; kept away from boys my own age, never knowing of love.   
I have... accepted that, but it's been hard not knowing what my future   
husband will be like, hard to hold onto the hope that he will be   
everything I hope for, and not the nightmare I dread him to be."  
Kodachi suddenly turned to face the pig-tailed boy, her   
lavender eyes bright and shining under the moonlight as she quickly   
bridged the distance between them, until their bodies were only   
inches apart. "If he could only be like you, Ranma-sama -- so noble,   
kind, and handsome -- then my life will not have been in vain. But if   
he is not... what then will I do?"  
Ranma stared at Kodachi's downcast expression, her long   
lashes seeming to be blinking away tears, and felt an uncomfortable   
knot twisting in his stomach. He had to bring up the fiance and make   
her suffer like this, didn't he? His sister was so right, he really was   
a baka.  
Hesitantly at first, but quickly steeling it with conviction,   
Ranma lightly placed his hand on her shoulder, causing Kodachi to   
look up at him in surprise. "Then don't marry him then," he told her   
in a serious tone. "If you don't like the guy, then you shouldn't   
become his wife, no matter what your mother or anyone else says.   
It's your life, Kodachi, you should just... follow your heart."  
"You are so eloquent, Ranma-sama!" she enthused,   
practically beaming with joy as she smiled up at him.  
*Damn, I should watch mom's soaps more often,* Ranma   
thought, still a bit surprised that it had actually worked. *There's   
some useful stuff in there.*  
Ranma thoughts were interrupted when Kodachi drew even   
closer to him, slipping her arms around his waist as she brought her   
head so close to his that their lips were nearly touching.  
Kodachi whispered to him in a low and sultry voice,   
"However, I don't know if I would have the strength to do that   
unless..."  
"Uh, unless?" Ranma repeated nervously, glancing around   
for some avenue of escape, realizing with dread that due to the small   
size of the room, the only place he had to go was further into a   
corner.  
"Unless..." Kodachi replied, punctuating the word by   
bringing them chest to chest, causing Ranma to fly into a state of   
frozen panic as he felt her breasts squashed against him, their   
presence before all but hidden before by her dark kimono. "Unless   
you just do one small thing for me, to give me the strength to resist   
my horrible fiance and not doom me forever to a life of slavery."  
"What is it... you want me to do?" Ranma managed to stutter   
out while trying and failing not to be drawn into those lavender   
eyes, deeper and deeper, seeming to silently promise a pleasing and   
comforting warmth, though Ranma was feeling hot enough already.  
Kodachi closed her eyes, speaking so low that even as close   
as they were to each other, Ranma nearly had to strain to hear it.   
"Kiss me."  
"Kiss you?!" Ranma immediately blurted out, at the same   
time trying to keep his hormones from starting a full scale riot. "But,   
but... you're engaged!"  
"I know," Kodachi told him, breaking off her hug, to stare   
down at the ground again, nibbling on her thumb with an expression   
of worry. "But even he turns out to be all I could want, is it fair that   
I should never know the embrace of another man? Is it fair that   
these lips should never kiss any others but his? If I don't have this   
small experience, I will forever wonder what I have missed,   
regretted the time when I could share this simple pleasure with   
another while I still could."  
Kodachi looked up at him once again, her eyes hard and   
shining with determination. "Yes, I am engaged to be wed to   
another, but I am not married yet. Please, Ranma-sama, can you   
grant me this one small request?"  
*I don't want to do this, I don't want to do this, it's a bad   
idea, it's a bad idea...,* ran over and over in Ranma's head, but as he   
looked into Kodachi's pleading eyes, his resistance quickly   
crumbled. "Umm, okay. I guess it couldn't do any harm."  
"Thank you, Ranma-sama," she said to him with a smile,   
before closing her eyes and tilting her head to purse her dark red   
lips.  
Ranma found himself paralyzed, unable to move, completely   
afraid of what would happen if he kissed her, and also what would   
if he didn't. When he was young and tried to kiss girls like his   
mother wanted, he always ended up in a lot of pain as a result, but   
Kodachi was asking -- almost begging -- him to, and his mother had   
always been so insistent that he answer the requests of a lady.   
Could he really refuse her?  
Indecision ran around in his head like a dog chasing it's tail,   
but managed to force it down when he saw the beginnings of a frown   
forming on Kodachi's lips. *It's now or never,* he thought as he   
leaned forward, closing his eyes.  
  
Kyoko was so shocked with what she was seeing that she   
nearly forgot to take the photo. Thankfully, the moment lasted long   
enough for her to recover and snap off a few pictures, making sure   
that this moment in particular would be recorded for all time. Her   
only regret was at her angle she couldn't actually see their lips meet,   
but what she had would have to do. She was sure it would be   
enough to make Nabiki give up on Ranma forever.  
  
"Your dinner is ready!" shouted a female voice, punctuated   
by the loud smack of the door sliding open forcefully, nearly leaping   
out of its frame. "Cook made meal extra quick so... Ah! Ranma,   
what you doing?!"  
Having no other place to go, Ranma instinctively leapt   
straight up, grabbing a firm hold of the ceiling as he surveyed the   
new interruption, only to find his worse fears realized. Min-Lin --   
the golden-haired and green-eyed childhood friend that he had   
nearly completely forgotten about until a few days ago -- stood in   
the doorway, staring back at him with a stunned expression.  
Ranma skillfully flipped from the ceiling, landing in a free   
spot in the small room and putting himself between Min-Lin and   
Kodachi, though trying to be too obvious about it. He had no idea   
how Min-Lin would react to this, but knew that she was a serious   
martial artist who could end up hurting the unskilled and demure   
Kodachi. He didn't think he could bring himself to actually fight a   
girl, but was confident he'd find some way to stop her, even if that   
meant taking all of her blows on himself.  
He failed to notice Kodachi was using the full force of her   
glare on the waitress for her untimely interruption, which was   
disappointingly having no effect as the girl was staring at Ranma   
and ignoring her completely. Her dreary life of never knowing the   
gentle kiss of man would have been at an end if that... bimbo hadn't   
barged in.  
Setting down the platter quickly, Min-Lin raced over to   
properly greet Ranma, only to find her path blocked a girl who was   
frowning at her the same way Shampoo did just before she started   
yelling at her for some silly thing. Such misunderstandings had   
happened to Min-Lin a lot in the Amazon village, and most of them   
had involved Shampoo in some way or the other. Explanations   
were wasted breath, even for the times when Min-Lin thought she   
knew what it was all about. A fight was inevitable.  
Ranma blinked to see Kodachi blur to the spot before him,   
blocking Min-Lin's advance. He also couldn't help noticing that she   
was carrying herself differently now; her frailty replaced with a   
surprising strength. Remembering how Nabiki had dealt with the   
Karate Queen, Ranma readied himself to save her from getting hurt   
since he doubted that similar tactics would work on Min-Lin.  
"You have served our meal. I suggest that you leave so we   
may dine, alone," Kodachi told the waitress coldly, her arms   
crossed. This girl had 'potential opponent' written all over her and   
the Black Rose wanted to get her out of the way as soon as possible   
so that she and Ranma could pick up where they had left off. She   
currently wasn't in the mood to even try to be nice about it either.  
"Why girl eating with Ranma?" Min-Lin asked as she inched   
forward, trying to side-step the other girl to get to the pig-tailed boy.  
"Why is it your business who Ranma-sama dines with?"   
Kodachi countered, blocking the girl's obvious ploy.  
"Min-Lin Ranma best friend from childhood!" she exclaimed   
as if it explained everything.  
"No matter what your prior connection to him might have   
been, Ranma-sama and I are on a date, which was going very well   
until you interrupted."  
"Ranma date... you?" Min-Lin asked, pointing from one to   
the other while blinking in confusion.  
Kodachi fumed. "Are you trying to suggestion that I am   
somehow unworthy of his affections? I believe that is up to Ranma-  
sama to decide, and not a... trollop such as yourself."  
"What you mean 'trollop'?" Min-Lin frown in perplexity,   
guessing from the tone that it was meant as an insult, but feeling too   
bewildered at the moment to be insulted by it. In the Amazon tribe,   
a warrior only asked for a date when he or she wanted to challenge   
the other to a fight, and this girl didn't look to be much challenge for   
Ranma. Min-Lin had been on many dates in village, but they all   
ended very quickly. Many men try to date her, but none of them last   
very long.  
Kodachi sniffed disdainfully. "It has become clear to me   
that a barbarian such as yourself will only understand actions, not   
words. I think I shall have to teach you a lesson."  
"You challenge me?" Min-Lin asked, relieved. The   
Japanese had such strange ways of challenging people, wasting time   
talking that can be better used in training or fighting.  
Kodachi smiled a cold smile. "Yes, though I think you will   
hardly be a challenge for one such as I."  
Before Ranma could utter a word of protest over this   
upcoming duel, Kodachi turned around to face him, her expression   
soft as she smiled demurely up at him. "Can you do me a small   
favor, Ranma-sama?" she asked sweetly.  
"Um, sure," he agreed, feeling totally off balance at the   
moment.  
"Hold this!" Kodachi roared as she spun around, her kimono   
flying up into the air to fall gently into Ranma's arms. The Black   
Rose was now dressed in a purple leotard with rose designs,   
twirling a long ribbon in one of her free hand. Her other hand   
finished tying back her long black hair into a lop-sided ponytail.   
With one last tug, she turned back to stare at Min-Lin, her eyes   
narrowed. "Ready?"  
Min-Lin pulled a long bo staff seemingly out of thin air and   
nodded with a serious expression. "I ready."  
"The Black Rose will see just how ready you are, little girl!   
Ohohohoho!" Kodachi taunted as she sprung into the air, her ribbon   
flashing out to rip the bo out of the Amazon's hands, but Min-Lin's   
hold was firm. She tried to counter by using this connection to pull   
Kodachi to the ground, but the gymnast simply let up some slack and   
sailed over her head.  
Kodachi launched from the ceiling, aiming for a powerful   
kick to Min-Lin's back, but the Amazon spun around quickly and   
leapt up and away, to land on the low table, only inches away from   
planting her feet in the dinner she had so recently served.  
"It seems you have some skill," Kodachi observed as she   
caught her breath.  
"You not bad either," Min-Lin replied, studying the other girl   
carefully for an opening.  
"Do you really have to fight?" Ranma asked nervously as he   
looked back and forth between the two girls, standing between them   
once again. Min-Lin was an old friend even if he wasn't exactly   
thrilled with her appearances lately, and this other side of Kodachi   
coming out so suddenly was a bit disturbing for him. "Can't we sit   
down and talk this out peacefully?"  
"Ranma?" both girls asked him simultaneously as the turned   
to look in his direction.  
"Umm, yeah?" he asked, feeling even more nervous under   
their intense stares.  
"Don't interfere!" they both shouted and applied both ribbon   
and bo to knock him back into the corner, where he sat dazed as   
chibi Kodachi's and Min-Lin's circled around his head in cute little   
combat.  
Kodachi and Min-Lin nodded to each other, charging at the   
same time with wordless battle cries. A ribbon flashed out to lift   
the Black Rose up at the last moment so she could plant her feet in   
her opponents face, but the Amazon had dove in order to trip the   
other girl so both attacks missed.  
Now standing by the table, Kodachi noticed the two meals   
lying there, steam rising the still-hot dishes, and began to twirl her   
ribbon with a smile. "Here you are, my dear Ranma-sama," she   
declared as her ribbon lifted up one of the dishes to send it landing   
gently in Ranma's lap, not spilling a single item. "You may dine as   
the duel commences. The sweet taste of victory shall be my   
sustenance!"  
*She's not like Asuka at all,* Ranma thought gloomily.   
*She's worse.* He wasn't the sort to look a gift horse in the mouth   
however, so with a shrug, he began to eat while keeping his eyes on   
the two girls. They both looked more than capable of handling   
themselves, so he didn't really have any right to interfere. There   
was also the fact that they were likely to gang up on him again if he   
tried. That didn't mean his disliked their fighting any less though.  
"Min-Lin second greatest fighter of her generation in   
village!" the blonde girl declared proudly. "Only lose challenge to   
two people in whole life; making many, many people challenge me   
over and over again. We Amazon very poor losers."  
"The same can be said of the House Kuno," Kodachi replied   
with a smile as she twirled her ribbon in preparation for another   
attack. "But that won't be something you'll have to worry about!"  
The ribbon flashed out to snag the tatami mat Min-Lin was   
standing on, lifting up into the air, as the Black Rose charged in with   
a shoulder block, slamming the mat into the wall. Only then did she   
realize her mistake for Min-Lin wasn't behind it as she had planned,   
but instead had held onto the ceiling, diving down now with a bo   
strike that Kodachi was able to deflect by spinning around quickly,   
tatami mat in hand.  
The Black Rose then used this as a spring board for a   
somersault, twisting in the air to land directly behind Min-Lin, ready   
for her next attack. Or she would have been had the Amazon   
remained still for those moments, but instead she had rolled to the   
ground, putting the tatami mat back in place, and sprung up to face   
Kodachi.  
  
Kyoko cursed the amazon for her interferance this time,   
reflecting that she should have remembered she might be about and   
done something earlier to prevent this. While extremely helpful in   
disrupting the date with her boss, this was a date that she didn't want   
Min-Lin interfering with.  
Noticing the way the far wall now had a sizable hole   
because of the last assault, and reflecting on what her aunt might do   
to her if she damaged her precious camera, Kyoko decided to wait   
outside for Ranma, doubting there would be anything worth   
recording until the management kicked him out of the place.  
  
Kodachi and Min-Lin stood staring silently at each other,   
sizing up their opponent once more as they caught their breath.   
Kodachi's usual opponents were so far below her skill in martial   
arts that they were hardly a challenge at all, so this was the first time   
that she had to fight with such intensity. Most of Min-Lin's usual   
challengers were very straight-forward fighters, rarely using any   
sort of trickery or deception. She knew now that she would have to   
be very alert if she didn't want to lose this match.  
"Um, excuse me?" cautiously said a young man on the other   
side of the hole that Kodachi's last attack had created. He was   
wearing a loose blue kimono and a perplexed expression.  
With a smile, the ribbon of the Black Rose flashed out and   
wrapped around him, and with a violent tug, sent him flying towards   
the Amazon. Little did she know that Min-Lin was used to men   
flinging themselves at her. Without turning around, she elbowed him   
in the gut, socked him in the face, and sent him flying back into his   
room without so much as blinking.  
"Great-grandmother train Min-Lin in anti-hentai defense. Is   
very useful in and outside Amazon village," she explained as he bo   
hooked the table and sent it flying at Kodachi, complete with her   
dinner.  
The Black Rose sidestepped the thrown piece of furniture   
and managed to rescue her meal with another twirl of her ribbon.   
Chopsticks in hand, she sampled the dish with a smile. "Delicious.   
Perhaps I will eat after all, once I finished you off that is. Hold this   
for me in the meantime, Ranma-sama."  
Ranma accepted the dish that Kodachi's ribbon dropped in   
his hands, quickly setting his own finished meal aside, and resisted   
the temptation to sample it himself.  
"Kuno School of Rhythmic Gymnastics Special Attack,   
Wheel of Fire!" Kodachi declared as her ribbon snagged a few   
candles and began to twirl them in a circle, faster and faster, until it   
was a circle of fire that closed in on Min-Lin.  
"Just what's going on here!?" yelled a woman who stepped   
out of the same hole that the man earlier had emerged from. Her   
kimono also seemed to have been hastily adorned.  
Min-Lin ignored the angry lady behind her as she snagged   
the teapot around in an arc in an effort to douse the fire, but the   
Black Rose merely spun out of its path, laughing all the time, and the   
now luke warm tea ended up splashing the irate woman in the face.  
"Me turn," Min-Lin announced with a smile. "Amazon   
special technique, whirlwind strike!" She slowly began to turn her   
bo in her hands, it's speed increasing exponentially with each   
revolution, until it was no more than a blur, sending forth a gust of   
wind like an industrial fan.  
Kodachi and Min-Lin began to slowly circle each other,   
weapons of heat and cold coming closer and closer, each looking   
for a moment to strike.  
The woman was currently glaring at the both of them, wiping   
the last of the tea from her face with her kimono. Tugging her belt   
tightly, she set her features and marched towards them. Her timing   
wasn't the best as the two opponents chose that time to charge,   
placing her just between them as they closed in. Burned on one   
side, frozen on the other, she marched back to her room and tugged   
on the bell rope until it broke off in her hand.  
  
Kodachi and Min-Lin both looked ready fight on, but the   
shouts and complaints of the fellow patrons and employees of the   
Jade Blossom were becoming too distracting, not to mention   
cluttering up the battlefield.  
Ranma surveyed the path of destruction somberly; wrecked   
walls, broken furniture, and spilled meals making it look like two   
miniature typhoons had hit the place. He couldn't help wondering if   
somehow he'd get blamed for all this.  
"It seems that we shall have to continue this another time,"   
Kodachi announced to her opponent as she put away her ribbon.  
Min-Lin nodded and with a flick of the wrist, her bo   
vanished. "Me not go so easy on you next time, rose-girl."  
"Until we meet again, bimbo," Kodachi replied, though there   
was a note of respect in the final word. "Come along, Ranma-  
sama."  
Ranma stared back at her, weighing the whole situation in   
his mind before very hesitantly, he followed. After what he had just   
seen, the last thing he wanted to do was continue this date any   
longer, but now he had to worry about not only his mother's wrath   
but his date's as well.  
The night air was cool on Kodachi's skin as the warmth of   
combat began to wear off. Taking her kimono back from Ranma's   
hands, she couldn't help noticing, with a surprisingly sharp stab of   
sadness, the way he pulled away from her, as if she were some sort   
of wild animal. The fear in his eyes was normally a sight that filled   
her with joy to cause in others, but this instance brought her only   
despair.  
With a twirl of black cloth, she was once again formally   
dressed, and proceeded slowly in the direction of their next   
destination. Ranma was to her right and just behind, close enough to   
make it obvious they were together, but well out of easy touching   
distance.  
Kodachi frowned to see how much of a setback her little   
tussle with Min-Lin had caused. She had been moments away from   
her first kiss, but now he was acting as if he were scared to death of   
her. She wondered what force was keeping him from abandoning   
her altogether, but was certain that whatever it was, it had little to   
do with her charms.  
"Ranma-sama?" she said suddenly after they had been   
walking for a few minutes, breaking the heavy silence between   
them.  
"Um, yeah?" he replied nervously.  
"Did you have any pets when you were younger?"  
No longer hearing the sound of Ranma's footsteps, Kodachi   
stopped as well, but remained turned away from him, staring down   
the long sidewalk, their eventual destination still no more than a   
collection of light.  
"Not really," Ranma finally answered after a minute or so   
had passed. "My mom didn't have time to take care of Hitomi and a   
pet at the same time so she wouldn't let me get one. I did find a   
wounded animal and nursed it back to health in secret once, but that   
was only for about a week. For some reason I can't remember what   
kind of animal it was..."  
"The thing I wanted most in the whole world when I was   
younger was a little green turtle," Kodachi said with a smile as she   
finally turned around to face him, her voice tinged with a child-like   
glee. "After seeing them at an aquarium during a school trip, how   
they swam around in their little pool with a comic sort of grace, I   
just had to have one for my very own. So I asked my father to get   
me one, but he was... becoming strange and distant, and no longer   
the man I had once thought of as the most important person in the   
world."  
Kodachi turned away from Ranma once again, staring up at   
the moon far overhead she spoke in a soft voice, not even noticing   
when the pig-tailed boy took a step closer to her to listen.  
"As far back as I can remember, I had always been afraid of   
my mother. I can't really explain why, she was never anything but   
kind and generous to me; still there was something that chilled me   
just being in her presence. However, I wanted a little green turtle   
so badly that I gathered up all my small bits of courage and asked   
her if I could please have one.  
"My mother agreed to it easily -- too easily I can only   
realize now -- but being the naive child I was, I happily waited for a   
little green turtle of my very own to arrive. However, children are   
never patient and I was worst than most. So on the next day I asked   
my mother where my turtle was. She told me that it took time to buy   
a turtle. This I accepted with a tiny nod and waited until the next   
day, asking her once again, and with what I thought was a subtle   
way of pointing out that a pet store not far from our house had little   
turtles on sale. She simply replied with a smile that only a very   
special turtle will do for her daughter.  
"So the ritual was repeated day after day until at the end of   
the week there was a new fixture in my mother's office: a large fish   
tank. And swimming around within was something which she   
claimed to be a turtle. 'But momma, it doesn't have a shell,' I   
pointed out. 'This is a special, shelless turtle,' she explained with a   
smile. Though I would have preferred one with a shell, I kept my   
silence and happily accepted my new pet, who I dubbed with   
childish creativity, Mr. Green Turtle.  
"The tank was moved into my room and I was careful to feed   
my new pet every day as my mother instructed me to, though I still   
thought it was odd for a turtle to be eating so much. Most of my free   
time was spent in play with my new pet, which I liked particularly   
because we could play on land or in the water, so he could even   
come with me on baths. He did have a nasty habit of trying to take   
my brother's fingers off whenever he got too close, but this was   
because, as my mother patiently informed me, he was a snapping   
turtle.  
"My new little pet was just as fun as I imagined he would   
be, and I started to shake off feelings of dread at my mother's   
presence, thinking how much she had to loved me to get me this   
special, shelless turtle. My favorite game quickly became defending   
him from my brother who often tried to smite him with bandaged   
fingers, claiming he was a demon from Hades sent to interfere with   
his kendo practice."  
Kodachi laughed lightly with this last admission, softly and   
without the wicked tone of her laughter earlier that night. It was a   
surprisingly pleasant sound to Ranma's ears.  
"Even though my mother had expressly forbidden me to, I   
brought Mr. Green Turtle into school one day, to show the class my   
amazing pet, and make them all green with envy. They were awed   
by my special, shelless turtle, at least until our teacher, somewhat   
fearfully, pointed out that what I had thought of as a turtle for weeks   
now was in fact an alligator.  
"I can still remember running home in tears from the taunts   
and jeers of the other girls as I held my pet to my chest, loudly   
denying that he was anything but the little green turtle that I had   
always wanted.  
"Returning home, I ran into my father, who was dressed so   
strangely that I hardly even recognized him. 'Hey, kekki, whatsa   
matter?' he said to me with such an odd accent, hardly the gentle   
voice I remembered, that I stopped crying in surprise. 'Dat some   
alligator you got dere, kekki,' he told me, patting my pet on the head.   
'It's not an alligator, it's a turtle!' I shouted back at him, fuming in   
anger.  
"My father went into our library and returned with two   
volumes, opening one to turtles and the other to alligators. Laying   
them both side by side and gently taking my pet to put him down   
between them, he asked, 'Now which picture you think he look more   
like, kekki?'"  
"I studied the pictures and my pet for minutes without making   
a sound, hardly even breathing. I had noticed what my father meant   
immediately, but didn't want it to be true so much that I kept   
checking and rechecking, hoping that in the next glance, my pet   
would suddenly resemble the picture of the turtle and not the   
alligator.  
"My arms shaking, I very slowly picked up my precious pet   
and stared him right in the eyes. 'You are... an alligator.' Mr. Green   
Turtle only stared back at me curiously as my father nodded to   
himself and put the encyclopedia volumes away. With a nod of my   
own, I set out to confront my mother.  
"She was in her office as usual, filling out forms I had no   
understanding of. So deeply she was into her work that she didn't   
notice me enter until I slammed the door closed. 'Do do want   
something, Dachi?' she asked me with a smile. I placed my pet on   
her desk, another thing she had told me never to do, and was   
rewarded with a slight frown. 'He is an alligator,' I told her slowly,   
barely keeping myself from yelling.  
"My mother only smiled and said, 'No, Dachi, he's a turtle,   
just like you wanted.' 'He's an alligator!' I yelled at her, stomping   
my feet. She only continued to smile. 'No, he's a turtle that just   
happens to look like an alligator.' 'The teacher at school says he's an   
alligator,' I pointed out when my short-lived tantrum obviously had   
no effect. 'I would hardly consider Ms. Yokonaka a zoologist,   
Dachi. She just made a mistake.' 'Dad says he's an alligator too!' I   
shouted again as tears began to gather in my eyes once again. 'Your   
father... hasn't been well lately,' she told me as a pained look   
crossed her face.  
"That was the last straw for me. I snatched up my pet,   
screamed at her, 'This is all your fault! I hate you!' before storming   
out of her office, slamming the door shut behind me. I ran into my   
room and jumped onto my bed, holding Mr. Green Turtle tightly to   
my chest as I cried and cried."  
Kodachi's voice faded away into nothing as she stared up at   
the moon, a slight, mocking sort of smile on her face. Ranma stood   
only inches away from her now, feeling stunned by this sudden and   
obviously personal admission. The silence seemed to grow heavy   
on him, until after a few moments he asked softly so that it could be   
ignored if considered offensive, "So then what happened?"  
Kodachi turned around to face him, her mocking smile   
turning into a genuine one. "Well, after a few minutes I had cried all   
I possibly could, so I wiped the remaining tears away and stared at   
my pet, wondering just what I should do now. Just then my brother   
burst into my room and shouted, 'Foul fiend! For gnawing on my   
favorite bokken, I shall smite thee!' And before I knew it, I was   
laughing as I ran away from my furious brother, protecting my   
precious pet from his wrath because in the end it didn't matter to me   
whether he was a turtle or an alligator. I loved him just the same."  
Ranma stared at her for a few moments, struggling to find   
something, anything to say to her after that. "Um, so do you still   
have him? Mr. Green Turtle, I mean."  
"Oh, yes, though soon after that I had have a pond built for   
him since he had outgrown his little tank. I think even my mother is   
surprised by how well he's grown in his own little environment, but   
he only really causes trouble for strangers who are foolish enough to   
bother him. My brother learned his lesson and stays well clear."  
Kodachi and Ranma both laughed a bit at the idea that there   
could be something even Kuno could be afraid of, not that he was   
likely to admit it.  
"Thank you for a splendid evening, Ranma-sama," Kodachi   
said suddenly, bowing to him and then turning to walk away.  
"Wait, where are you going?" Ranma asked her in confusion.   
"I though our parents still had stuff for us to do yet."  
"Yes, I can leave all the information they provided me with   
you, if you wish, because I know after the little... incident in the   
restaurant, you have not further desire to remain in my company.   
Don't worry, I'm sure to give you a glowing review to our parents."  
Ranma instinctively reached out to take hold of her hand and   
keep her from leaving. Realizing what he had just did, he blushed,   
but didn't let go. "What was the next thing on their list?"  
"Ballroom dancing," she told him, not turning around, but not   
trying to escape him either.  
"I am a master of ballroom dancing," Ranma told her smugly,   
not mention that it was martial arts ballroom dancing he was a   
master of. "But I'll need a partner for that. So... may I have this   
dance?"  
Kodachi pirouetted, bringing their faces very close, a light   
blush on her cheeks as her eyes shone. "You may," she replied with   
a demure smile.  
  
"Geez, what a romantic mood," Kyoko muttered to herself as   
she stared at the pair looking into each other's eyes, while she   
snapped off a few more pictures and made to follow, changing the   
roll on the way. There was still a few pictures left on the current   
one, but she had a feeling she might not get the chance to change it   
later.  
  
Asuka Saginomiya was the very image of elegance and grace   
with her long golden hair and white ball gown that appeared to be   
more carefully sculpted than sown. For what her parents had paid   
for it, a sculpture may have been cheaper.  
She sat primly in a chair as she stared at the ballroom's other   
occupants, most of them dancing to the slow music that wafted in   
from the stage, their moves all imperfect to her close scrutiny, like   
pieces of clockwork assembled by an apprentice watchmaker who   
still had much to learn about his craft.  
Outside observers might have guessed her to be patiently   
awaiting the return of her date, who was cleaning himself up after   
she had 'accidentally' spilled a bit of punch on him. In reality, she   
was trying to come up with a way to end this date as soon as   
possible that was proper for one of her social standing.  
Other girls would have surely been shocked to know this for   
Asuka's date had caught the eye of every female in the room with his   
incredible good looks. There was muttered speculation as to   
whether he was an idol, model, or TV star. Which was the very   
reason that Asuka had selected him as her current boyfriend.  
Asuka of the White Lily, as she sometimes called herself,   
hated one thing in the world beyond all else: to lose. She had   
striven to be the best in every possible way, and normally   
succeeded far beyond her peers in such things as education, culture,   
and even the arts; excelling to the point that most were awed, or   
envious, of her abilities.  
There was one incident, however, that had been burned into   
her brain, tasking her ever since. It was her first year of traditional   
education -- having been educated by tutors nearly since birth --   
when she was to meet the girl who would become the great rival of   
her life: Kodachi Kuno.  
Asuka well knew from the beginning of school that the Kuno   
girl was her only true opponent. While it was a private school   
filled with the children of some of the wealthiest people in Japan,   
none of the others came close to the refined plane which she and   
Kodachi occupied.  
The other girl must have sensed this as well -- that Asuka   
was as much as a threat to her as she was to Asuka -- because their   
first unspoken competition was in spelling out their names and   
introducing themselves to the class. From there on, school had   
become a battle for the two girls.  
Asuka was shocked to find that they were evenly matched.   
In every struggle, every act of competition, they always came out   
even. That was until the boys got involved.  
Both Asuka and Kodachi had made a great impression on the   
rest of class, especially twin boys named A-kun and B-kun. A-kun   
obeyed Kodachi's slightest whim while B-kun worshipped the   
ground that Asuka walked on.  
Asuka didn't think much of B-kun, he was just simply   
someone who performed tasks normally reserved for servants. That   
was until Kodachi suddenly declared that her A-kun was much more   
handsome that Asuka's B-kun. Asuka rose to the challenge, stating   
that it was obvious that B-kun was the more perfect one.  
Asuka knew full well that the twins were completely   
identical and if they hadn't dressed differently she would have never   
been able to tell them apart. So the only way to make one more   
handsome than the other was to make the other ugly. Kodachi was   
also well aware of this and soon it was a battle between them to see   
who could deface the other's boy the most.  
Unlike all their competitions before, in the end Kodachi had   
been the clear winner as A-kun remained conscious. Asuka had   
yelled to the heavens that she would return to school tomorrow and   
soundly defeat her rival, proving herself to be the better girl, and   
left school early, just able to hide her tears of shame.  
Unfortunately, Asuka's parents had a surprise waiting for her   
when she returned home. They had found just the perfect mansion to   
replace their current cramped home, located on the other side of   
Japan. Asuka raged against this sudden injustice, but it was all for   
naught. In the end, her challenge remained unfulfilled.  
Asuka, however, hadn't forgotten about this loss and had   
devoted most of her time to finding the most perfect boyfriend which   
she could display before her old rival in triumph. There had been   
many failures over the years, some coming close, especially one   
which she normally avoided thinking about. Her current choice had   
the looks all right -- he was quite possibly the most handsome man   
she had ever seen -- only marred by a small scar on his right cheek   
which was only noticeable from close up.  
*He may be gorgeous,* Asuka thought with a small sigh,   
*But he's really dreadfully boring.* The only two things he held any   
interest in were martial arts and ballroom dancing, so she had   
thought if she took him out to dance, his company wouldn't be so   
tedious. However, it was a bit hard for her to tell what a perfect   
dancer he was when she was practically falling asleep in his arms.  
Asuka stifled a yawn as she stood, thinking a breath of cool   
night air might brace her enough to endure the rest of the evening,   
while also avoiding her date for a few moments longer.  
  
The man that greeted Ranma and Kodachi at the next place   
on their parent's agenda was significantly larger than the matre'd of   
the Jade Blossom, and all of it muscle. Ranma immediately sized   
him up as a brawler with little in the way of real martial arts skill   
and consequently someone he could take on without much problem,   
though hoped he wouldn't have to.  
"This is an exclusive club," the man stated as he eyed Ranma   
a bit distastefully. "Members only."  
"Of course," Kodachi replied, laughing lightly as she   
presented him with two white cards. "These are our reservations."  
After reading from the reservations, the man's whole attitude   
changed as he bowed to the both of them and permitted them to   
enter. Ranma breathed a sigh of relief as a fight was avoided   
somehow.  
The room they entered gleamed with polished marble; from   
the floor, the columns that lined the walls, and the sculptures of   
elegant dancers frozen in place that occupied little niches along the   
walls. The walls themselves were painted a pale yellow and rose   
high to the glass-domed ceiling above their heads, beyond which   
only the brightest stars could be seen.  
The pig-tailed boy looked over the foyer in awe, never   
having been in a place as fancy as this, while Kodachi giggled a bit   
at his reaction. She supposed it was impressive to someone who   
wasn't used to it, but the Black Rose had been in places far more   
impressive.  
Glancing over a few of the women dressed in their elegant   
gowns, Kodachi told Ranma, "I must change into my own dress   
now, Ranma-sama. Please wait for me here, I shall only be a   
moment."  
Ranma nodded absently and found a safe place to rest   
against one of the walls, trying to avoid the eyes of the others in the   
room. Thankfully, there were only a few other people there, but it   
seemed that all of them stared at him oddly, like he was something   
out of place even though his tux matched what some of the other men   
were wearing.  
Hearing the slow strains of music drifting in from the   
ballroom, Ranma couldn't help thinking of a challenger from a month   
ago: Takuya Kitahayashi, self-proclaimed master of Martial Arts   
Ballroom Dancing.  
Ranma had just been out walking around when he   
accidentally stepped on the guy's toes and the pig-tailed boy found   
himself challenged to a match. At the time, Ranma had no idea what   
martial arts ballroom dancing could be, so he did his best to learn   
how to dance and would just meld his own martial art into it.   
Unfortunately, he had needed a dance partner and that had caused a   
whole host of other problems that he definitely didn't want to think   
about.  
It hadn't been the oddest match Ranma had ever had, but it   
came close. Though in the end, he had won and Takuya had   
slumped away in defeat, never to be seen again.  
  
Asuka stepped into the foyer and made for the door when   
something out of the corner of her eye stopped her. She turned   
slowly and found herself blinking several times in surprise to find a   
familiar boy there, who failed to notice her because he was   
currently staring up at the ceiling.  
With a smile that was threatening to bloom into a grin, Asuka   
the White Lily approached her first true love.  
  
Kyoko nearly choked in surprise when she saw a new girl   
approaching Ranma. There was no way she could sneak into this   
place dressed as she was, but thankfully it had large windows to   
peer into, surrounded by shrubbery which provided excellent cover.  
*What is it about him?* Kyoko wondered idly as she   
snapped off a few pictures of Ranma's new conquest. Then she   
shrugged; whatever it was, it was sure to make her boss dump him.  
  
"Ranma-san, what a great pleasure it is to see you again,"   
Asuka told him, now standing only inches away while he still stared   
up at the ceiling, not acknowledging her presence. "Surely the stars   
themselves have guided you back to me."  
Ranma very slowly turned his head, not wanting to look, but   
knowing he really didn't have a choice. "Asuka?!"  
"It is I, my love," she told him with a small curtsy. "How it   
fills my heart nearly to bursting to hear you speak my name with   
such emotion."  
*This is bad, very bad,* Ranma thought with a sinking   
feeling as he glanced around for anything to help him out of his   
current predicament. Kodachi would return soon and the last thing   
he wanted was a repeat of what had happened with Min-Lin.  
"So... what are you doing here?" he asked nervously, hoping   
for some clue of getting away from her.  
"Unfortunately, I have been forced to go on a date with the   
most dreadful boy," she told him with a frown, but then she suddenly   
brightened with a smile. "But now that you are here, my dear   
Ranma-san, you can drive the scoundrel away and we can spend the   
evening in each other's arms."  
Asuka grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the ballroom   
proper with a surprising strength, while Ranma did his best to resist   
without giving offense. That was when both of them heard a woman   
say, "Ranma-sama?"  
"I know that voice," Asuka muttered to herself bitterly.   
"Even after a decade, I still haven't forgotten its horrible sound."  
Asuka of the White Lily released Ranma and strode right up   
to woman who was making her way down the stairs, her life-long   
rival, Kodachi Kuno.  
"So we meet again, Kodachi-chan," Asuka said with   
narrowed eyes, her voice friendly but with an obvious edge to it.  
Kodachi blinked. "Is that you, Asuka-chan? It's been so   
long that I hardly remember you. You certainly look... older. What   
event has caused this happy reunion?"  
"I've just been reunited with my one true love," Asuka   
confessed as she grabbed a firm hold of Ranma's left arm before he   
could escape, leaning her head on his shoulder. Her eyes never left   
Kodachi, however, as she smiled at her rival in a challenging sort of   
way.  
"There must be some mistake. Ranma-sama is my escort for   
the evening," Kodachi countered as she grabbed a firm hold of   
Ranma's right arm, still staring at Asuka.  
"I agree that there is a mistake, but it seems to lie with you,   
Kodachi-chan. Ranma-san and I are destined to be together!   
Ohohohoho!" Asuka declared as she tugged Ranma closer to her,   
pressing his arm into the softness of her white dress.  
"You must have Ranma-sama confused with someone else,   
Asuka-chan. He and I have been having a splendid evening   
together. In fact, we have... but a lady never tells! Ohohohohoho!"   
Kodachi replied, pulling on Ranma's other arm and drawing him   
closer to her, leaning forward so that her black dress rubbed against   
his side.  
Their conversation went right over Ranma's head, mainly   
because he was currently trying not to think about their closeness   
while at the same time avoiding being pulled in two like a   
wishbone. Why was he forever cursed to be a magnet for violent   
girls? "Maybe we should discuss this over tea or something," he   
pleaded to the both of them.  
Asuka and Kodachi didn't seem to hear his words; their eyes   
were locked on each other as they tried to wrest Ranma from the   
other. "You're no longer the weak little girl I knew, Asuka-chan."  
"Thank you for noticing, Kodachi-chan. The memory of you   
cruelly bullying me was a wonderful motivator."  
"And the memory of you smearing jam all over the teacher's   
desk and blaming it on me was a marvelous incentive for me to   
grow more cautious, however... Ranma-sama is still mine!" *tug*  
"Mine!" *pull*  
"Mine!" *yank*  
"Aarrgghh!"  
  
Kyoko giggled to herself as she snapped off photos of the   
impromptu tug of war over Ranma, relishing how much his own   
playboy ways were currently making him suffer. Of course, she   
made sure to take pictures that didn't show how much he was   
obviously in pain at the moment. He didn't deserve a shred of   
sympathy from Nabiki.  
  
"Saginomiya-san, there you are... What are you doing?"  
"Oh nothing, Kitahayashi-san," Asuka explained quickly to   
her date who had just entered the foyer, staring at her in confusion.   
She did not relinquish her hold on Ranma, however. "Just renewing   
an acquaintance with an old friend. Why don't you go back into the   
ballroom and wait for me? I should be along shortly."  
"No, no, you really shouldn't keep your date waiting, Asuka-  
chan," Kodachi told her with a smirk as with one last tug, she freed   
Ranma of her old rival's hold and right into her own arms, cradling   
him protectively. "We can renew our... friendship at some later   
date. Ranma and I came here to dance after all, and I wouldn't want   
to disappoint him."  
"Ranma?" Asuka's date asked as his eyes narrowed, absently   
rubbing at his cheek. "Is that you, Ranma Saotome?"  
Ranma sometimes wondered about reincarnation,   
specifically what sort of horrible person he'd been in a past life to   
have earned such bad karma in this one. Now however wasn't the   
time for such philosophy. "Yeah, it's me. Takuya, right? No hard   
feelings about losing, right? I mean, I beat you fair and square."  
"I'm not so petty that I would seek revenge over a loss that   
was my fault for being overconfident," Takuya explained, but before   
Ranma could breathe a sigh of relief, added, "However, for this   
hideous defacement that you cruelly marked me with, I shall see you   
laid low this very night!"  
Ranma blinked and peered closely at him. "Huh? What are   
you talking about?"  
"This, this!" Takuya raged while pointing to the small mark   
on his cheek. "My face was perfect, without a single blemish or   
other mark to mar it, until you did this to it!"  
Ranma examined the spot indicated from only inches away   
for a few minutes, before finally shaking his head. "I still can't see   
it."  
"I must admit that he is... handsome, Asuka-chan," Kodachi   
said in aside to her old rival, though loud enough that the whole   
room could easily hear her. "But couldn't you have done something   
about his personality? Throwing a tantrum like a spoiled child is   
so... uncivilized."  
"You're lucky, Kodachi-chan, you didn't have to watch him   
eat," Asuka replied at a stage whisper.  
"No manners? I suspected as much. Surprised he managed   
to keep his tuxedo clean."  
"He wore a bib through the whole meal. I doubt I'll ever be   
able to eat there again after the way everyone was looking at us. My   
horse eats with more dignity."  
Takyuka staggered with each blow to his pride. He yelled at   
Ranma, "Now you further insult me by not taking responsibility for   
the grave injustice you have done me. There is no option left but to   
settle this like men, with a match of Martial Arts Ballroom   
Dancing!"  
Ranma glanced quickly at the two girls who were idly   
discussing his opponent's flaws, and began to feel a bit self-  
conscious about his own. He was vaguely aware that he didn't have   
much in the way of table manners, but his mom had never been   
concerned with it, thinking that a good appetite was manly. There   
was also the fact that the last thing he wanted was their little tug of   
war to start up again.  
"Very well, as I martial artist, I have no choice but to accept   
your challenge," Ranma replied, hoping that he could use this match   
as an excuse to wrap this date up as soon a possible. Kodachi   
was... okay he supposed, though the way she could change moods in   
an instant frightened him a bit. He wouldn't have minded seeing the   
date out to it's natural conclusion if Asuka hadn't shown up.  
Kodachi stepped forward, slipping her arm around Ranma's   
elbow, no longer tugging at him, but it was still a firm grip. "Then I   
shall be Ranma-sama's dance partner for the challenge. We did   
come here to dance together after all."  
"No, it is I who should be Ranma-san's dance partner,"   
Asuka countered as she slipped her arm around the pig-tailed boy's   
other elbow. "Finally being reunited after years apart, it would be   
too cruel to separate us now."  
"But Kitahayashi-san is your date," Kodachi pointed out   
with a smug grin. "It's only right that you be his dance partner."  
"But I've already danced with him tonight," Asuka countered.   
"You should be the one who joins him."  
"I'm closer to Ranma-sama's height."  
"Ranma-san's and my outfits match better."  
"Mine!"  
"Mine!"  
Takuya coughed noisily, finally getting their attention, along   
with everyone else in the room. "I don't much care who dances with   
who. I am only seeking revenge against Saotome for my scarring.   
This is a duel between men! Anything else is unimportant."  
Ranma might had immediately agreed with him if there   
weren't two strong ladies currently tugging him in opposite   
directions. He turned to face the blonde girl to his left and told her,   
"Asuka-san, I'm sure you'd make a great dance partner and all, but I   
did come here with Kodachi. Sorry." Though the truth of the matter   
was that he considered each girl carefully and decided that at the   
moment, Kodachi scared him less Asuka did.  
Asuka bowed her head, letting go of his arm as she moved to   
stand next to Takuya. "Ranma-san, you are so noble to remain loyal   
to her, despite her obvious failings, that I can do nothing but abide   
by your request and let Kodachi have the first dance."  
"Um, that's very kind of you," Ranma replied to her, then   
spoke to Takuya. "Let's get his match started then."  
Kodachi rested her head on Ranma's shoulder with a smile   
as he lead her into the ballroom, but kept her eyes on Asuka walking   
just before her. Her date may have been fooled, but the Asuka she   
had known would never given up so easily, and from what she could   
tell, her old 'friend' had only become more devious as she had   
grown older. The Black Rose was sure the White Lily had   
something up her volumeous sleeve.  
  
Kyoko ran to her a new hiding place that gave her full view   
of the ballroom, eager to capture more of Ranma's womanizing, and   
perhaps watch him be taken down a notch or two, though she thought   
it a bit too much to hope for.  
  
The floor had been cleared of dancers once the challenge   
had been announced, and things were very quickly set up for the   
match. Takuya had made sure that nothing breakable was near at   
hand while rubbing his cheek with a frown.  
The two challengers occupied opposite sides of the dance   
floor, their partners at their sides. In the center of the room stood   
the owner; a small elegant man with a surprisingly powerful voice   
that echoed around the room when he spoke.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a rare treat in store for us   
tonight; a double grudge match of martial arts ballroom dancing. To   
my left, we have Takuya Kitahayashi and Asuka Saginomiya as the   
Lilies!"  
Takuya bowed curtly to the sudden cheers of the impromptu   
audience, while Asuka responded with a dainty curtsy.  
"And to my right," the owner continued, "Ranma Saotome   
and Kodachi Kuno as the Black Roses!"  
Ranma blinked a bit when he heard his team name. "Err,   
could you have picked something... a little less feminine?" he asked,   
finding being called some flower more than a bit embarrassing.  
"But a rose is a symbol of love, Ranma-sama," she told him   
with a smile, still clinging to his arm.  
Ranma sighed a bit and hoped that the match would be over   
quickly, thinking fondly of his bed and the comfort of sleep.  
The owner explained, "The men are fighting over an injury   
sustained in a previous match, their honor as gentlemen on the line,   
while the ladies are fighting for the heart of the same man, none   
other than Ranma Saotome, one of our fighters. To one, he is a   
childhood sweetheart, to the other a recent but heartfelt amour. It is   
truly tragic that love would pit two best friends against each other,   
but it should make for a very interesting match!"  
His deep sense of honor and overwhelming pride were the   
only things that were keeping Ranma from bolting at the moment,   
and they were barely keeping him in check. He could feel every eye   
of the room on him, as the people gossiped in voices just high   
enough that he could occasionally pick out words, which tended to   
be some rather frank speculation on himself and his past relations to   
Kodachi and Asuka.  
Kodachi and Asuka communicated wordlessly. With a   
glance, Kodachi told her old rival that seemed to already have the   
prize. With a smile, Asuka replied, "For now."  
With a wave of the owner's hand in the direction of the band,   
the music began to start up again, only faint at first but slowly   
building in volume.  
"The match is over when one challenger surrenders or   
suffers a knock out. Leaving the dance floor is not permitted and a   
challenger that does so is considered to have forfeited. Direct   
attacks are also not permitted, the opponents must use their partners   
as weapons. Is this understood?"  
Takuya nodded immediately, they were standard rules for   
his Art. Ranma nodded right after, eager to get his over with.   
Besides, he had beaten him before, he could do it again. Once the   
two girls had nodded, the owner nodded him himself and stepped   
off of the dance floor.  
"Then let the match begin!"  
A waltz began to play. Ranma took Kodachi's hands and did   
his best to dance in time. "This probably isn't what our parents had   
in mind when they sent us out to dance," he told her somewhat   
apologetically.  
"No, this is much more fun! Ohohoho!" the Black Rose   
laughed as she swung the pig-tailed boy bodily at the rival couple,   
who slid out of his way without missing a step.  
"Such viciousness... she claims to have feelings for him, but   
doesn't hesitate to use him as a weapon," Takuya muttered to himself   
as he looked back at Kodachi.  
"And I have no feelings for you!" Asuka replied as she   
twirled him quickly and used the force of the spin to hurl him   
towards the dancing couple.  
Kodachi reluctantly looked away from Ranma's eyes, only to   
come face to face with Takuya. She had to grab hold of him just to   
avoid them both getting dumped to the ground.  
"I think he suits you much better, Kodachi-chan! Ohohoho!"   
Asuka commented as she glided by with a dazed Ranma in her arms.  
Ranma readied himself for his first attack, only to blink as he   
found Kodachi gone and Asuka in her place. "Um, what just   
happened?"  
"We switched partners, Ranma-san," Asuka explained with a   
smile, "Kodachi and Tokuya, both being 2nd rate at best, are really   
more suited for each other. While it is clear to anyone that we make   
perfect dance partners… and other kinds of partners as well."  
Kodachi glared at her old rival and drop-kicked Tokuya in   
the stomach hard, sending him on a collision course with the back of   
Asuka's head. Sensing danger, the White Lily tried to turn out of the   
way in time, but the Tokuya-projectile still caught her in the side,   
sending her spinning like a top to the other side of the dance floor.  
Kodachi gently swayed over to Ranma and set his hands on   
her hip and shoulder. "Are you all right, Ranma-sama? That Asuka   
is so underhanded, she's likely to try anything. You best hold onto   
me tightly from now on."  
"Tightly?" Ranma repeated nervously.  
"Oh, yes," Kodachi replied as she leaned closer, drawing   
him near. "Hold me close and don't ever let me go."  
The Black Rose leaned in for another kiss, only to find her   
legs knocked out from under her by Takuya's head, landing on his   
back and knocked the breath out of him. From this undignified   
position, she watched Asuka snatch up her date once again.  
"Kodachi-san, you are so... ruthless. I'm sure that if we   
worked together, we could easily win this match," Takuya muttered   
from somewhere underneath her.  
The Black Rose failed to hear his words, concentrating only   
on the mocking face of Asuka and she stood and pulled out her   
ribbon.  
%"Once again we are reunited. Such is fate," Asuka told   
Ranma with a sigh as she leaned her head on his shoulder.  
"But we're not dance partners in this. Neither of us can win   
the match this way."  
Asuka laughed lightly as she used their dancing to draw   
closer and closer too him. "Who cares about the silly match... I've   
got everything I want right here--urk!"  
Ranma blinked in surprise when Takuya was suddenly   
dumped right on top of Asuka, flattening them both to the floor. He   
bent down to check if they were both all right -- and also if he had   
already won the match without launching a single attack -- when   
something wrapped around his waist and tugged him sharply away,   
spinning him around and right into Kodachi's waiting arms.  
"Again I have rescued you from the clutches of that wicked,   
wicked girl. Even I am shocked at how... unprincipled she has   
become."  
"But how is what you're doing any different?" Ranma asked   
as he automatically waltzed with the Black Rose, not thinking about   
what his body was doing but rather just letting it happen.  
Kodachi's expression flickered, but only for an instant, as   
her smile returned in full force. "Because she is fighting over petty   
jealousy while I am fighting for love! And one must be willing to   
anything for love, even if it means going against everything one   
believes in! If a person isn't willing to sacrifice everything for it,   
then their love can not be true!"  
Ranma took a step back from Kodachi as she stood fist   
upraised while she shed noble tears, all to the audience's polite   
applause. The pig-tailed boy checked for exits, but depressingly   
finding that only the high windows weren't blocked by the crowd.   
He's been in situations before when girls had declared their   
undying love for him in a similarly dramatic fashion and knew from   
experience that the only positive thing he could do now was escape.   
To him love like that wasn't real love, it was an unhealthy obsession   
that always caused problems for him. Worse when he thought of   
what his mom would do to him after she heard about this. Being   
manly was one thing, stealing the fiancee of another guy was   
another.  
Before Ranma could do anything, however, Asuka strode   
over, glaring at the Black Rose as she dragged her dance partner   
behind her, much to his protests of being able to walk himself.   
Dropping him to the floor, she slowly slipped off one of her long   
white gloves and struck Kodachi across the face with it.  
"How dare you say such things when it is I who is fighting   
for love?!" Asuka declared with a finger pointed accusingly at the   
Black Rose, who are currently nursing her now-bruised cheek. "I   
had been holding back before due to the memory of our sweet   
childhood friendship, but no longer! Now you shall taste the full   
wrath of Asuka the White Lily!"  
"Very well, I will stop holding back as well, and you will   
soon learn why many fear the name Kodachi the Black Rose!"  
The two woman dragged their respective dance partners to   
the opposite ends of the dance floor, who were both too stunned at   
the moment to do much of anything.  
The owner took this as his cue as he signaled for the band to   
change songs, playing a faint but more intense melody now, as he   
strode back onto the floor.  
"Ladies and gentleman, it seems that our polite little match   
has escalated to another level entirely as out two female competitors   
have declared that nothing, not even rules that I might attempt to   
impose, will stop them from wresting the hand of the man they love   
from the arms of the other."  
The man nodded to Kodachi and Asuka in turn before   
continuing. "Far be it for me to get in the way of these two   
determined women. Therefore, the match will resume shortly with   
this addendum; no restrictions will be imposed upon the   
challengers, and any act taken by them in pursuit of their goals is   
considered fair play! Furthermore, the match will only be   
considered ended when one of the ladies had surrendered or   
rendered unconscious! Even if both of the men are unable to fight,   
the challenge will still continue!"  
Both Ranma and Takuya blinked at the owner in surprise,   
both feeling a large blow to their pride in being told that they were   
unimportant to this match. Their eyes met and they both nodded,   
approaching the owner with determined looks.  
The ladies meanwhile appeared as if they were patiently   
waiting for the match to resume, but in actuality they were plotting   
out their feints and counters while they occasionally threw the other   
veiled looks.  
"Um, a slight correction to what I said earlier," the owner   
continued on a bit nervously as the two martial artists finished   
'explaining' things to him and walked away. "We now have two   
separate matches going on instead of one, so it should be double the   
excitement and thrills for all! The same rules that apply to the   
ladies also apply to the men, meaning this is going to be a no holds   
barred match to see who is the best martial artist to dance to a tune!   
"And not just their honor on the line this time either! Ranma   
demands that this be the fight to end all fights and there will be no   
rematches for whatever reason, while Tokuya is fighting for the right   
to ask the lovely Kodachi out of a date!"  
The crowd murmured their approval. They were getting far   
more entertainment that night then they could have ever hoped for.  
"How could you promise such a thing to that dreadful man,   
Ranma-sama?" Kodachi pleaded once her dance partner had   
returned. "He looks so crude and untrustworthy. How will I ever   
be able to protect myself from the likes of him?"  
Ranma was wishing that Kodachi would just drop the act. It   
was obvious that she was more than capable of defending herself,   
especially from a guy she had already used as a human cannonball   
several times already.  
"I didn't promise him anything. That's what he insisted on   
and I didn't get to say anything about it. Even if I lost, you can just   
turn him down. Not that that really matters, no way am I going to   
loose to a guy like him, especially when anything goes," Ranma told   
her with a confident grin as he did a few practice kicks and punches.   
The whole night had been so confusing for him that it was a great   
relief to now be doing something that he understood well.  
"Oh, but I am sure that wicked girl Asuka will do her best to   
make sure he wins so that I am forced to be in his company. With   
the very honor of my dearest Ranma-sama at stake, there is no way I   
could refuse him!"  



End file.
